Nicktoons: After Years
by SOLmaster
Summary: 60 years into the future, the Nicktoons are all but stated to be a myth. But when an ordinary girl ends up in Retroville for unexplained reasons and meets a square surly robot, could this lead to the creation of a new generation of Nicktoons? Read and Review.
1. Chapter 1: A New Start

_So it's come to this. I have now posted my final fanfiction here on . Not to say I am leaving for a bad reason, just that I feel like I've peaked here and I am now ready to move onto bigger and better things. But I'll never forget the fun I've had posting fanfiction alongside my friend animyx, and I never would've continued posting here without my regular readers. So because you asked for it, I've written one more fanfiction concluding my popular Nicktoons series. Well, not really a conclusion, more of a short continuation of both my Nicktoons and Time Fixers series. If you like those, you will definitely enjoy this mini-series. So please review when you read it because I definitely don't want to go out alone, and it might make me wanna post the other chapters faster._

_So please enjoy…_

**Nicktoons: After Years**

**Episode 1: A New Start**

In the dark of night in the city of Retroville, the tall skyscrapers lit the skies as hovercars drove down the street. Many billboards displayed videos of advertisements and so much high-tech equipment helping the citizens both in and out of their homes. In a dark alley where a cat was searching a garbage can, a bright purple portal opened up and a figure flew out of it, crashing into the garbage can and scaring away the cat.

Groaning was heard and the figure sat on their knees, holding their head. It turned out to be a thirteen-year-old girl with long blonde hair, purple eye shadow, freckles, and was wearing a gray sweatshirt, blue jeans, black sneakers, and a green backpack.

"What happened?" she wondered, turning around to see the portal that dropped her there was now gone. "Where am I?"

She peeks out of the alley to see the city around her, but did not recognize the location. A fit of momentary panic began to overwhelm her as she muttered to herself, "Okay, Lexi, keep cool. You can't be too far from-"

The girl, Lexi, gasps when she hears a metal clanking sound. She quickly ducks down behind the can and crouches down when the clanking get louder. The approaching figure turns out to be a rusting gray and blue square robot with a crooked antenna, blue eyes, and metal gloves and boots. He has a glum, defeated expression on his face as he reaches into the trashcan and pulls out a crushed soda can that he proceeds to eat.

As he continues searching through the garbage, Lexi tries to crawl away unnoticed, only to bump into a tower of empty boxes that collapse and reveal her location to the robot.

"Who's there? The robot asks until he sees the girl stand up.

"Who are you?" Lexi asks the robot in a frightened voice.

Still frowning, the robot spits out a screw into the trash and walks into view, using an old wrench as a walking cane. Rather than be surprised by the sudden appearance of a young girl, the robot just coldly responds, "I could ask you the same question."

Lexi then explained, "Look, I don't want any trouble. I just don't know where I am."

"You're in Retroville, of course."

"Retroville? I've never heard of that place."

"Well, that's where you are." The robot pointed out before groaning and turning around. "Question answered."

The robot started walking away, but Lexi held her hand out to him. "Wait! How did I end up here?"

"How should I know?" the robot bitterly complained as he slowly went on his way in a similar fashion to an old man. "I don't even know who you are."

Lexi moved in front of him and introduced, "I'm Lexi."

"I'm uninterested." The robot callously responded before walking around Lexi and going on his away, still slow paced.

But Lexi still chose to follow him, walking next to him to match his pace. "Look, the truth is I ran away from home, and things were fine until now. Before I could get very far, this weird portal appeared in front of me. I didn't know what it was, but when I touched it, it pulled me in and I ended up here."

"I said I'm not interested…in your name or your life story." The robot said with a grumpy frown as he attempted to pick up his pace, but has a limp in his step. "Now excuse me, I have to get home before my battery drains." However, he slumps forward and gets a tired expression, "…which is now."

Growing concerned for the old robot, Lexi holds onto the robot's sides and offers, "Let me help you, Mr. Robot. I can get you home a lot faster."

"Fine…whatever." The robot groaned, "Just don't call me "Mister". My name is SpongeTron. At least that's what my code states."

Lexi seemed perplexed that the robot was unsure of his own name, but assumed he would remember everything once his battery was charged up, and he would be able to help her out of gratitude for helping him. As she held onto the robot, she lugged his square heavy body to his home, using the directions he gave her.

* * *

They soon came to a large building that did not look anywhere near as tall as the other buildings in the city and it looked empty and almost decrepit. She dragged SpongeTron to the front entrance that contained a pair of sliding doors, but they were not opening automatically like she assumed they would. But SpongeTron was not bothered by this and just stuck his fingers into the crack and manually pulled the doors open by force as if it were routine for him.

Lexi followed SpongeTron inside and it did not look any better. The room they walked into was large and spacious, but it was dark and decaying as if no one had been living in it for years. Cobwebs were hanging from the ceiling, dusts covering the desks and machines that were sitting in corners of the rooms. But the biggest thing that caught Lexi's attention was that she couldn't take two steps without kicking around an empty oil can.

SpongeTron was not at all bothered by this and just took an extension cord that was connected to a large battery and plugged it into his chest. He felt a large surge of relief as energy returned to his body. "Aaaah…that's better." Still using his wrench for support, he walked past Lexi while dragging the extension cord across the room and opened a cardboard box that contained cans of motor oil.

Lexi watched as SpongeTron grumpily opened the can as if it were a beverage and chugged the oil down with little to no care. As soon as he emptied that can, he nonchalantly tossed it aside to join the other cans littering the room and opened up another can of oil that he chugged in the same manner.

A slightly disturbed Lexi began to awkwardly ask, "Uhhh, SpongeTron?"

After SpongeTron finished his third can, he tossed it aside and opened up another can until he remembered Lexi's presence. "Oh…you're still here." He spoke in a slurred speech pattern like someone who's had one too many. "I don't know why, you served your purpose now get lost."

As he chugged down more oil, Lexi began to get unamused by the robot's behavior. "What?!" she exclaimed, "I helped you out. The least you can do is help me."

SpongeTron paused his drinking and waved the can around, spilling oil on himself as he spoke in the same slurred voice, "Help you? Now how can I…help you? You said you fell out of a…portal. I don't know shhh…nothing about portals."

"Actually, I don't need you to know anything about portals." Lexi explained, "I don't wanna go back to where I came from anyway. I wanna stay here with you."

"What?!" SpongeTron screamed, looking very angry by her decision. "Why would you wanna stay here? Don't you have parents who should be looking for you?"

Lexi calmly explained as she looked around with interest. "Here's a few reasons why you should let me stay: I ran away from home. It may have been an accident that I ended up here, but I still need a place to crash. Plus this place looks like it has plenty of room."

Growling with rage, SpongeTron threw his half-empty oil can on the floor and slowly made his way towards Lexi. "Well, I've got my reasons for why you can't stay! I've only ever lived here by myself and by myself I shall remain!" when he finally reached Lexi, he stared her in the face with his eyes narrowed, "Now go crash somewhere else…"

But Lexi stood her ground against the enraged robot and crossed her arms, retorting, "I don't think so, SpongeTron. I've still got one more reason why you should let me stay: You owe me one and I think the least you can do is let me stay a couple nights."

Tense silence followed as the girl and robot had their eyes locked onto each other's glare. Finally, SpongeTron stomped his wrench on the floor and relented, "Fine…two days…and that's it."

Lexi smiled slyly and replied, "Thanks SpongeTron. I'll take one of the rooms here. Maybe see if I can clean up that couch too."

When Lexi walked off to prepare her things, SpongeTron narrowed his eyes and uttered, "We'll see how you like crashing here."

* * *

After getting some sleep in a room containing an unused master bed, the next morning, Lexi came out into the dark hallway and sleepily called out, "SpongeTron! Does this place have a bathroom?" but due to the darkness, she ended up tripping on one of the extension cords laid across the floor.

As she laid on her front, SpongeTron came over while he was still plugged into said cords, and answered her question, "Yes, it does. But I'm a robot, so I never had use for it. Go see for yourself if it even works."

The uncaring SpongeTron walked away while Lexi stared up at him, angered by his lack of empathy.

Later that day, Lexi decided to relax on the old couch with her laptop, listening to podcasts with her earbuds. However, she suddenly hears a crash and looks up to see SpongeTron drinking another can of oil. However, he was pacing back and forth and ranting, "Oh, that's just how it is nowadays, is it?!"

SpongeTron clearly wasn't talking to anybody, but he was once again speaking in a slurred speech pattern as he drank more oil, "Good active robots being replaced with non-sentient ones! Ones like me…are not…needed! They have purposes…I never had a…purpose!"

Lexi gritted her teeth in annoyance and turned up the volume on her laptop to drown out the intoxicated robot. But SpongeTron spoke even louder, "If Judgement Day ever comes, SIGN ME UP!"

Soon, night came and Lexi was about to go to bed until she tripped on the extension cord again and fell flat on her face. "Oh, that is it!" Lexi screamed as she got back up and stormed to her room. Watching from behind a corner, SpongeTron smirked in satisfaction, believing he finally got Lexi to pack up and leave.

Lexi came out of her room with her backpack and stormed past SpongeTron, who quickly put on a grumpy face to hide his deception. "Leaving already?"

Rather than answer, Lexi stopped in front of a wall and bent down on her knees, taking a metal plate out of the wall to show a bunch of electrical wires. She uses the flashlight on her phone to see and sticks her hands in the wall. "Okay…if I just do this and that…"

SpongeTron watches the whole thing and appears puzzled that she wasn't leaving his home like he wanted. "What are you doing?"

Suddenly, bright lights shine in the hallways and follow through the rest of the building, making the place look bright from the outside. Standing up with a satisfied smile, Lexi cheered, "Yes! I knew I could do it!"

Even SpongeTron was surprised that his usually dark and depressing home now had lights and electricity. "What, so you're an electrician now?" he asked Lexi.

Nonchalantly shrugging, Lexi answered, "Ehh, working with electrical wiring is just something I was taught growing up. Plus I was getting tired of not being able to see around here."

While he was initially impressed, SpongeTron shook his head and regained his bitterness. "This doesn't change anything! I still want you out of here!"

Not appreciating his ungratefulness, Lexi crossed her arms and reminded him, "In one more day."

However, SpongeTron sighs and responds, "For fixing the electricity, I'll let you stay an extra day. But after that, you're gone."

SpongeTron then walked away to drown his sorrows in more oil while Lexi decided to explore more of the building now that she can see it better. The walls, ceilings, and floors were all white, but also dirty due to the lack of ownership. One of the rooms she went in looked more like a science lab than anything else since it had a desk full of beakers, test tubes, and other equipment.

"I wonder what kind of person used to live here." Lexi wondered as she moves her hand across the dusty desk, moving some papers aside.

She then comes across an old photograph. She blows the dust off to see that the photo contains five young boys: one boy was short with an abnormally large head and swirly brown hair, and the other boy was also small but had spiky brown hair, buck teeth, and a pink hat. The other two boys were clearly older, but one had white spiky hair, green eyes, and was wearing a black and white jumpsuit, and the other boy was dark skinned, had pale green eyes, messy brown hair, a feather on his head, and was only wearing a loin cloth and tribal paint on his face. But what caught Lexi's attention the most was that the fifth boy was not really a boy at all, but looked like a yellow sponge that was square, had blue eyes, buck teeth, and was wearing square pants.

The appearance of the sponge greatly reminded her of the robot she was with. "SpongeTron?" she muttered in a stunned voice.

SpongeTron was in the room that he often used to sleep in since it had a metal table and a computer which he never used since he couldn't without electricity. Now that it did, he turned the computer on and it started to slowly boot up. But before he could further examine it, Lexi called out, "SpongeTron!"

He turns to see Lexi dash over from outside the doorway. "There you are, SpongeTron." She then shows him the photograph. "I was wondering if you've seen this picture before."

As SpongeTron looks at the photo, he dully frowns and answers, "Never seen it before in my life."

"But look at that guy." Lexi points to the sponge in the photo. "Doesn't he look a lot like you, but in a different color?"

SpongeTron scoffs and replies, "I don't see the resemblance."

"Do you know them?"

"I know of them. They're some kind of world-saving group called "The Nicktoons". Word has it that they used to travel from world to world doing good until they retired. No one's seen them since."

Lexi was amazed to hear that there was a team of would-be superheroes that existed, but couldn't shake the fact that SpongeTron may be connected to one of them. She pointed at the image of the sponge again. "But doesn't it seem weird that this one kinda looks like you?"

"Not really," SpongeTron carelessly answered. "After all, I've been on my own for as long as I can remember."

The robot began to appear depressed as he hopped on the metal table and fell on his back. Lexi looked at the photograph again and muttered to herself, "Nicktoons…" then her eyes widen when she recalls what SpongeTron said, "Wait…you said they could travel from world to world. That must be how I ended up here."

Not even sitting up to face her, SpongeTron hand motioned as he dully replied, "Sure, I guess. After all, who else uses portals to get around?"

Lexi then pondered, "I wonder how they did it." She walks away to explore more of the lit building, until her voice screams through the halls, "SPONGETRON!"

Rather than be alarmed, SpongeTron just looked annoyed and groaned as he sat up from the table. He grabbed his walking wrench and followed Lexi's voice into another room that looked like a science lab. Lexi was standing in front of a worn out round device that had an arch in the middle.

"What's this thing?" Lexi asked the robot as she moved through the arch. "It looks like something goes through here."

Feeling annoyed that Lexi interrupted his rest mode for this, SpongeTron scowled and answered, "How should I know? That thing's been there since I moved in."

Lexi rolls her eyes and states, "Kinda weird that you don't know any of the stuff that's in your own home."

SpongeTron grunts in response and turns to leave. "I do know all about the stuff that's in here…I just never cared about it. I still don't care about it."

But Lexi goes over to the computer in the corner of the room and starts pushing some random buttons on the keyboard. "You should at least check if they do anything. Besides…you can make money selling these."

Seeing her fiddle around with the computer that was connected to the strange machine, SpongeTron suddenly becomes concerned and tries to warn her, "Lexi, don't touch any-"

The computer sparks, sending electricity down the cables towards the machine and creating a faint glow in the arc until it grows bigger and brighter and both Lexi and SpongeTron scream as they are pulled into the portal.

* * *

After what seemed like forever, Lexi opened her eyes as she lied on the ground. She sits up and looks around to see she was lying on an empty street in a dark city with tall buildings and neon signs. She stood up and backed over to the sidewalk, not seeing any people around like she did in Retroville.

She turns towards an alley to see SpongeTron digging through the garbage can to find something to eat. Lexi frowns and shouts, "SpongeTron! You just left me over there without bothering to see if I'm alright?"

Without even facing her, SpongeTron carelessly responds, "I was going to until I remembered that it's your fault we're here in the first place."

Lexi growls in anger, but suddenly becomes nervous when she hears a strange noise from nearby, "I don't even think we're in Retroville anymore."

"Of course we aren't." SpongeTron mentions while turning around with a screw between his teeth. "That portal dropped us somewhere else, probably another world."

"Another world?" Lexi asked in surprise. "But I was starting to like the old one."

SpongeTron grabs his wrench and starts walking away. "Well, we won't solve anything by standing here. Let's look around and see if we can find anything useful."

With no other choice, Lexi nodded in agreement and followed SpongeTron. From the alley they were previously in, a strange malevolent force phases from out of the wall and eyes the two with its piercing red eyes.

Despite SpongeTron and Lexi not knowing where they were going, they ended up at what they assumed was the center of town since they spot City Hall and a large stone statue of what looked like a young man in a jumpsuit holding up the planet Earth with one hand. SpongeTron and Lexi stop to look at the statue with curiosity, though SpongeTron quickly loses interest.

"Well, we're not any closer to getting home." SpongeTron said in a bored voice before turning around. "Let's go."

"Wait." Lexi says as she stops him. "That statue looks familiar." She reaches into her front pocket and pulls out the same photograph she found earlier. She smiles as she says, "I knew it. That statue is the same boy with the white hair in this picture."

"And that matters to me how?" SpongeTron asks while rolling his eyes.

With a look of annoyance, Lexi explained, "If this is here, maybe the real him is here too. You said he used to travel from world to world, so if we find him, maybe he can help us get back."

Groaning in a voice that sounded just as annoyed as Lexi was, SpongeTron pointed out, "That photo was taken years ago during a time when cameras and photographs still existed. For all we know, he may not even exist anymore."

Lexi gasps and looks disappointed when her only hope of getting back to Retroville seemed crushed. However, she had no time to ponder any other options when something phased up from beneath the ground in front of them. It looked like a strange apparition that was round, completely black, and red eyes. It held up its arms and growled as if trying to scare them. Both Lexi and SpongeTron scream in terror.

"What is that thing?!" Lexi screamed.

"How should I know?!" SpongeTron screamed in response. But suddenly, SpongeTron activated a sonic cannon from his right arm and fired it blindly at the apparition, only for the blast to go harmlessly through them.

Lexi was surprised to see SpongeTron was capable of combat. "How did you do that?"

"I'm a robot, DUH!" SpongeTron angrily screamed.

Suddenly, the sound of a motor is heard and the two see someone approach on a hovercycle. It came to a stop right between SpongeTron and Lexi and the apparition. The driver was a teenage boy with spiky black hair, wearing a gray shirt, a red life preserver vest, baggy blue jeans, tan boots, black fingerless gloves, and a purple visor over his eyes.

He takes a small round device out of his black utility and tosses on the floor under the apparition. The device let out a large bright beam that enveloped the apparition as it screamed in agony. They watched as the darkness that covered it was peeled away and sucked into the device, leaving a familiar ghost in its place.

"Huh?" the ghost wondered until it screamed, "I AM THE BOX GHOST! TREMBLE!" but he was suddenly cut off by the boy sucking him into the Fenton Thermos. Afterwards, he puts the lid on the thermos and places it back in his belt.

"That was…AWESOME!" Lexi shouted with excitement until quickly calming down, "I mean…it was alright."

The boy turned to them with a smile, responding, "Thanks…glad to see you're safe." He stares at the girl and the robot, not recognizing either of them, "I don't think I've seen you around here before."

"You haven't." SpongeTron remarked.

Seeing the robot up close, the boy removes his visor, revealing his blue eyes, and looks impressed, "Wow, a living robot. A lot cooler than the ones we have here; they just vacuum the floors."

"Don't trust them." SpongeTron warned. "Had one of those for the weekend once, and she did not call me back."

But once Lexi stares at the boy's face, her eyes widen in realization, "Hold on a sec." she glances over at the statue and back at the boy. "You look just like him."

"Who?" the boy asked until realizing she was referring to the statue, "You mean Danny Phantom?"

She looked at the photograph again until SpongeTron intervenes, "Your human eyes are obviously not working correctly. This guy has white hair, and this guy obviously doesn't."

The boy takes the photo and stares at, smiling when he sees the teen in the photo. "Hey, that's Grandpa!"

"Grandpa?" both Lexi and SpongeTron question.

Cheerfully smiling, the boy explains, "You mean you don't know? Danny Phantom's my grandfather, and I'm his grandson, Danny Fenton!"

Lexi and SpongeTron both stare at him in silent surprise until the latter frowns and blatantly states, "Never heard of him."


	2. Chapter 2: A Wish Fulfillment

_Thanks to all those who have reviewed so far. Keep at it and you'll see the next chapter in no time._

**Nicktoons: After Years**

**Episode 2: A Wish Fulfillment**

While SpongeTron and Lexi are still stuck in the mysterious new world, they were attacked by a demon who was defeated by a strange boy who introduced himself as Danny Fenton, the grandson of the city's hero, Danny Phantom. Danny Jr. offered to take the two to his home by giving them a ride on his hovercycle. As he drove, he enthusiastically tells them all about himself.

"So when my grandpa was my age, he became half-ghost and decided to use his powers for good and became a superhero who saved the world. Eventually, my dad was born and he inherited Grandpa's ghost powers and became a superhero just like him. Now I've taken up the mantle and become Amity Park's newest hero."

"So…" Lexi began asking, "You have ghost powers too?"

With an awkward pause, Danny Jr. answered, "…No. Unlike my dad, I didn't inherit a ghost-half. I don't even have any kind of ghost powers. But someone has to keep the city safe from all these ghosts that have become corrupted by their negative feelings which have been turning them into demons recently."

When Danny Jr. parks the cycle next to the sidewalk, SpongeTron snaps, "Look, kid, I didn't ask for your life story. If you have a way to send me home, you better spit it out."

With a frown, Danny Jr. takes off his helmet and states, "We're here."

Lexi and SpongeTron stare to see what appeared to be an old building that had the words "Fenton Works" blinking. SpongeTron dully asked Danny Jr., "What, do you run a sweat shop or something?"

Danny Jr. explained, "My parents are out of town for the week, so I'm staying with my grandpa. Thankfully, he's asleep right now, so…"

Before he can finish, Lexi interrupted him and asked, "Hold on sec, Danny. Do you know the guys in this photo?"

Danny Jr. looks at the photo again and answers, "Well, other than recognizing my own grandpa, not really. But my dad has one just like it and he told me they were both part of a group called the Nicktoons."

"The Nicktoons?" Lexi questioned, recalling the exact same thing SpongeTron told her. "So they really traveled from world to world?"

"That's right. I've always wanted to be one." Suddenly, Danny Jr. smiles as he tells them, "Wait, so you guys are from another world, right?"

"I…guess." Lexi answered, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, how about we all become Nicktoons? We can help people and do a lot of good, and-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, Fenton." Lexi interrupted, "Do you even hear what you're saying?"

Danny Jr. was confused by her lack of enthusiasm for being a Nicktoon. "What? But I thought-"

But Lexi continued, "You're asking me to be part of a team that I've never even heard of and probably doesn't even exist anymore."

"It can exist." Danny Jr. pleaded, "It existed before and it can exist now if you give it a-"

However, SpongeTron interjected, "I hate to say it, but Lexi has a point. Why would I ever join the Nicktoons? I don't have a purpose, and I can't just start randomly having one. It needs to be ingrained into my CPU."

Lexi added, "Bottom line, we're not joining the Nicktoons. Can you just get us back to Retroville?"

A look of disappointment swept over Danny Jr.'s face, and with a heavy sigh, he responds, "Alright. Just head inside and I'll be with you in a minute after I lock up my ride."

Lexi nodded and went inside the front door while SpongeTron followed, grumbling, "Who still calls it "my ride"?"

Lexi and SpongeTron stepped into the living room that was neatly tidied and futuristic much like everything in the far future. They both stood there silently, waiting for Danny Jr. to return until SpongeTron broke the silence by saying, "I don't trust that kid."

"SpongeTron," Lexi said in an unamused voice, "You just met him."

"That's the thing. We did just meet him. And yet, he was perfectly willing to form a club with us despite not knowing us for more than ten minutes. He thinks we're gonna be all buddy-buddy with each other, go on adventures, fight bad guys, and save the world, so that afterwards we can hang out at a local eating establishment and swap secrets."

Lexi rolled her eyes and SpongeTron's assumption, "SpongeTron, I don't even wanna be a Nicktoon. You're crazy."

"Am I? Do you consider me your friend?"

Without immediately answering, Lexi's eyes widen and she stammers, "Well, I…"

"That's right." SpongeTron spoke without a hint of remorse, "Because I don't consider you a friend, and since this is real life, we're not gonna be tag-teaming anytime soon. Geez, how long does it take to push a car alarm button?"

Afterwards, Danny Jr. comes in and signals them to follow him. He led the girl and robot through the house, making sure they all stayed quiet so they wouldn't wake up his grandfather. Danny Jr. uses the elevator to take them down to his basement and pulls out one of the drawers from the desk, dumping its contents on top. When he spreads the junk apart, he finds an old Neutronic Recaller.

"Here we go." Danny Jr. announces, "This is what my dad and grandpa used to travel to other worlds." He tries pushing some buttons on it, but nothing happened. "It must be dead."

"Do you even know how to work that thing?" SpongeTron asks.

Danny Jr. thinks it over and opens up the back to see a bunch of wires in the device. He then looks at SpongeTron and states, "This is gonna sound weird, but maybe I can charge this thing with your power, SpongeTron."

Lexi stares in surprise, but SpongeTron argues, "My power? I got barely enough power to keep myself running. I definitely don't think I have enough to spare."

"Think about it, SpongeTron." Lexi urges, "Just provide enough power for that thing to get us back to Retroville. Once we get back, you can just charge yourself at home."

SpongeTron shrugs and ultimately agrees, "Alright. Just make it quick, Fenton."

Danny Jr. smiles and quickly says, "I'll get my tools. Lexi, come help me."

They go back into the elevator and head upstairs, quietly going into the room Danny Jr. was staying in. He reaches under the bed and pulled out a suitcase. Lexi watches him open it to reveal a whole arsenal of tools.

"What does a teenage boy need a bunch of power tools for?" Lexi asked with a bemused expression.

"Superpowers." Danny Jr. answered.

"What?"

Danny Jr. added, "Remember what I said about taking up the mantle of being Amity Park's newest hero despite not having ghost powers like the rest of the Phantoms? Well, this is how I do it." He reaches into his utility belt and takes out a ray gun. "I figured that even though I can't fly, turn invisible, walk through walls, or shoot ghost rays out of my hands, I could work around it by building weapons for myself and learning hand to hand combat. That way, I can be a new kind of Danny Phantom."

However, Danny Jr. took a seat on the bed as he suddenly became forlorn, "Doesn't matter anyway. As much ghosts as I capture and lives that I save, people don't look at me as the next descendant of Danny Phantom, they just see a kid who can't protect Amity Park the same way Dad and Grandpa could." He pauses as he stares at the Nicktoon photo, running his thumb across the image of Danny Phantom. "I'd do anything just to know what he was like at my age."

Lexi stared in amazement to see how troubled Danny Jr. was, but wasn't sure what she could do to cheer him up. "Uhh, Danny? Don't we have a job to do?"

Danny Jr.'s eyes widen when he suddenly remembers the reason they came up there. "Oh, right." He said with an embarrassed grin before grabbing his tools and going back downstairs with Lexi.

After getting off the elevator, they see SpongeTron leaning back against the table, waiting for them to return. When they approach, SpongeTron sits up and grumbles, "Geez, it's about time."

Danny Jr. immediately gets to work by cutting out the wires in the Recaller and uses his tools to open up SpongeTron's back to see his wiring. As he leaned on his wrench, SpongeTron asks, "So tell me how is this gonna work?"

"All I have to do is connect the wiring from this Recaller to your wiring." Danny Jr. explained, "You can give this thing enough juice and I should be able to create a portal that'll take you where you need to go."

"Well, let me know when you're gonna do it, so I- Eugh!" SpongeTron groaned as he felt his energy draining out of him and going into the Recaller, which suddenly lit up with power.

Danny Jr. pushes a few buttons on the Recaller and it beeps as a green portal suddenly appears in front of them. Lexi smiles in amazement, "It works!"

"Ha!" Danny Jr. cheered, "I knew I could do it!"

SpongeTron composes himself and lets out a small smile, "Nice job, kid. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll just be on my-" he was about to walk into the portal until something came out of it and knocked him down.

Lexi and Danny Jr. stare in shock to see a small yellow sponge with blue eyes, freckles, and buckteeth, wearing a white shirt, brown pants, a red bolo tie, and a red baseball cap. Despite walking out of the portal and bumping into a robot, he was staring at his blue smartphone, not paying attention to where he was.

He typed on his phone, reading out loud, "'Finished watching "Mermaid Man vs Goofy Goober: Cods of Justice", 90 minutes wasted.'" And…send." He finally looked up from his phone to notice his surroundings. "This doesn't look like the bus stop."

Suddenly, the portal disappears and the sponge stares at the boy, the girl, and the robot before taking a picture with his phone and typing something, "'Status update: Wandered into strange place with strange people. #FriendOrFoe?'"

SpongeTron stands up and looks unamused, "Something tells me you didn't make the right portal home, Fenton." However, a flash suddenly blinded him and caused him to short circuit, yelping in pain.

It was the sponge taking another picture with his phone and enthusiastically creating another post with it, "'F2F with freaky robot. #Mondays #RiseOfThe…'" suddenly, he dropped his phone and began gasping for breath.

Concerned by his sudden condition when the sponge dropped on his knees, Danny Jr. approached cautiously, "Hey, are you okay?"

The sponge's body started shriveling up. However, this did not stop him from grabbing his phone and typing another text, speaking in a raspy voice, "'SOS…About to die…Rmbr me…#Waaaateeer!'"

However, Danny Jr. got the hint and quickly glanced around the room until he saw an emergency shower in the corner of the room. He picked up the sponge and rushed over to shower, dropping him inside and turning on the water and closing the shower door, leaving the sponge inside for a few seconds. Afterwards, the door opened up and the sponge stands there, smiling peacefully and sighing in relief before typing on his phone.

"'NVM…Still AAK…'" He says before hitting the "post" button. However, he continues to type on his phone, completely ignoring the others.

"Ahem!" Lexi says loudly to get the sponge's attention. "Excuse me, but who or _what _are you? And how about a little thanks to the guy who just saved your life?"

He glances up for a quick second before looking back at his phone while saying, "Oh yeah, THX. BTW my name is SpongeBob SquarePants the Third."

Danny Jr.'s eyes widen as he stares at the sponge. "That name…it sounds familiar."

"He looks familiar too." Lexi added while lost in thought.

SpongeTron frowns and states, "You're not gonna say that he looks like me, are you? Cuz I do not see a resemblance of any kind."

"No," Lexi replies before taking out the Nicktoons photograph and staring at it to see SpongeBob III looking similar to the sponge in the photo. She holds it up to the distracted sponge and asks, "Do you recognize the sponge in this photo?"

Without looking up, SpongeBob III takes a picture of the photo with his phone and stares at the screen. "Oh yeah, that's my grandpa, SpongeBob SquarePants Sr."

"Ha ha!" Danny Jr. cheered, "I knew it! SpongeBob SquarePants was on my grandpa's Nicktoon team. So that means your grandpa was a Nicktoon too."

"YSW?" SpongeBob III carelessly asks as he taps on his phone.

But Lexi glares at Danny Jr. and asks, "So what if he was? What does that have to do with anything right now?"

SpongeTron also glares as he adds, "This better not get in the way of me getting back home."

"Come on, you guys." Danny Jr. pleaded to them. "Don't you think fate has brought the four of us together for a reason?" he turns to SpongeBob III with an eager smile, "Just like the way our grandfathers were brought together, right SpongeBob?"

Not even bothering to look up from his phone, SpongeBob III shrugs his shoulders and hums, "IDK."

"There you have it, Danny." Lexi states with a frown. "Now can you send us back to Retroville?"

Feeling his enthusiasm deflating once again, Danny Jr.'s smile disappears and he silently goes over to the table, picking up the Recaller that was still connected to SpongeTron.

While SpongeBob III was playing on his phone, he smiles when he sees the loading screen for his favorite app "Jellyfish Catch". He says to himself, "Perfect chance to see if there are any jellyfish in this area."

"Make sure you get it right this time- Ye-ahh!" SpongeTron yelped again when his power was transferred to the Recaller.

Once the device was activated, Danny Jr. typed on the keypad and created another portal. Lexi smiled with relief, "Finally."

Before she could take a step forward, SpongeBob III walked past her, only paying attention to the app on his phone, "Ooh, there's a jellyfish in this direction."

"SpongeBob, wait!" Danny Jr. called out, but the sponge disappeared into the portal.

"Hey! Come back!" Lexi called as she chased SpongeBob III into the portal.

With a dull frown, SpongeTron got up and stated, "Well, I'm not sticking around here."

Darting his eyes back and forth, he quickly grabs his tool box and jumps into the portal before it disappears.

* * *

Once Danny Jr. is in Retroville, he sees SpongeTron leaning against his wrench and Lexi holding a kicking SpongeBob III under one arm and his phone in the other hand. "Give me back my phone!" he screamed as he swung his arms and legs. "I can't live without it!"

Lexi turns to Danny Jr. and shouts over SpongeBob III's screaming, "Danny, make another portal so we can put him back where he came from!"

Danny Jr. silently picked up the Recaller and was about to turn it on, but it failed to work since SpongeTron started leaning too much on his wrench that he ended up falling forward on the ground. This concerned Danny Jr. as he tried to shake him awake, "SpongeTron? SpongeTron, are you okay?"

Lexi recognizes SpongeTron's condition from the other day and states, "He's low on power. We have to take him home to charge."

With the distraction, SpongeBob III snatches his phone back and types, "Feeling: frowny face."


	3. Chapter 3: A Possibility

_I hope you're enjoying this mini-series so far. Read this chapter and then let me know what you think._

**Episode 3: A Possibility**

In the early morning, Lexi, SpongeBob III, and Danny Jr. took the drained SpongeTron to his home and plugged him in to charge his batteries. When Danny Jr. and SpongeTron III decided to take a seat on the couch while they wait for SpongeTron to reactivate, Lexi was pacing back and forth in front of them, looking frantic.

"I can't believe this!" Lexi complained in frustration. "I just wanted to live here in peace and quiet and now I have to deal with a ghost buster and a yellow…thing."

Hearing this, Danny Jr. frowned and retorted, "Excuse me, but I'm the one who left his town with nobody to protect it."

Lexi glared at him and shouted, "No one asked you to follow me!"

Rather than get involved, SpongeBob III continued to sit on the couch, texting on his phone.

Danny Jr. took a deep breath and exhaled, calmly stating, "You know, maybe there's a bright side to all this. Since we're gonna be staying here a while, we can all be Nicktoons just like our fathers before us."

"Huh?" SpongeBob III asks as he looks up from his phone.

Lexi was still frowning as she responds to Danny Jr., "That's where you're wrong, Danny. No one in my family was ever a Nicktoon, so I am not interested."

"You should at least give it a chance." Danny Jr. turns to SpongeBob III and asks, "How about it, SpongeBob? You in?"

SpongeBob III nonchalantly responds, "YSW. As long as I get to take selfies to post." He leans on the couch and makes a funny face while taking a selfie.

As he sat in the corner hunched over while plugged into his charger, SpongeTron groaned as he woke up once his battery was charged. "What happened?" he used his wrench to push himself up to his feet and he spots the three kids near the couch. "Oh…you're still here."

"SpongeTron, guess what?" Danny Jr. excitedly says, "We decided that we're all gonna be Nicktoons."

"I never agreed to that." Lexi dully mentioned.

"Ugh, look, I don't care what you do." SpongeTron bitterly replied, "Just go do it somewhere else, so I can get back to my life."

"Why don't you join us?" Danny Jr. asks, "We can use a robot like you on the team."

Frowning, SpongeTron asks, "Why in the heck would you need me? I've never done anything before in my life and I have no purpose. Besides, once that portal is working again, I want you out." He daggers at Lexi while adding, "All of you."

Lexi rolls her eyes in annoyance and an enthusiastic Danny Jr. continues, "Well, nothing says you can't make your own purpose. Besides, maybe you do have one. You obviously have some sort of connection to the Nicktoons and SpongeBob's grandfather." He holds his chin and ponders, "Now that I think about it, you kinda look like the sponge in my dad's Nicktoon picture."

SpongeBob III runs over next to SpongeTron and takes a selfie of them. Then, he uses the app on his phone to swap their faces. He giggles while saying; "Now we resemble each other."

When SpongeBob III skips away, SpongeTron sadly sighs and mutters, "I'm not interested in joining any world-saving group. I just wanna be left alone…like all defective robots."

Lexi sadly watches as SpongeTron slowly starts walking away, but Danny Jr. remains chipper and tells the robot, "You know, SpongeTron, maybe by being a Nicktoon, you might find some truth about your past."

SpongeTron stops in place with his eyes widening at the thought of finally discovering the purpose he was built for. He spins around and says in his usually dull voice, "Alright, count me in."

An overexcited Danny Jr. throws his arms in the air and hugs Lexi, who just pushes him away from her, unamused, while SpongeBob III continues to text on his phone.

* * *

A few hours later, after everyone was well rested (or in SpongeTron's case, charged), the group decided to start their Nicktoons training. Since, Danny Jr. was the only one among them that had any combat experience; he took it upon himself to teach everyone how to fight.

Danny Jr. swung his leg through the air and knocking over a tower of empty cans he had set up. Then, he took out his extendible staff and spun it around before swinging it hard onto the ground. As they watch, SpongeBob III recorded all the action on his phone, Lexi appeared impressed, and SpongeTron was not paying attention.

As he stopped to catch his breath, Danny Jr. wipes his forehead and states, "And that's the basic moves."

"I gotta admit that's pretty awesome." Lexi replied. "Your dad really taught you that?"

"Yeah, and he learned it from his dad." Danny Jr. answered. "It was all I could learn since I don't have superpowers like they do." He turns to Lexi and asks, "So, what useful skills do you know?"

Lexi sticks up her nose and answers, "That's none of your business."

As he texts on his phone, SpongeBob III points out, "It is if we're gonna be on the same team."

Taking offense, Lexi marches over to him and shouts, "You wanna say that again, you little phoneaholic?"

Looking up from his phone and staring Lexi in the eyes, SpongeBob III retorts, "Why say it when I can text it?"

"Great! Now I won't have to hear stuff come out of your mouth that will be irrelevant in two years!"

"At least I have the top score in Krabby Krush!"

As the two argued, Danny Jr. came over to try and diffuse the situation. "Guys, guys, come on."

SpongeTron was ignoring the situation as he struggled to open a can of oil. When he broke the can opener, SpongeTron grunts in anger just as Danny Jr. comes over to him. "Hey, SpongeTron, can I get a little help here?" he asks.

"Not my problem." The apathetic SpongeTron replied before activating his finger into a laser that he uses to break open the oil can so he can drink.

Unamused by his behavior, Danny Jr. states, "SpongeTron, I think you have your own problem."

As he chugged the oil down, SpongeTron responds in a slurred voice, "Whaaat makes you say thaaat?"

Lexi then screams, "That's it! I've had it!"

Both Danny Jr. and SpongeTron turn to see Lexi starting to storm out as she shouted, "I don't want any part of this Nicktoon team or any other team!"

She starts to head to the front doors, but Danny Jr. rushes over and grabs her shoulder. "Lexi, wait! You don't wanna do this."

Lexi turns around, pulling herself out of his grip. "You're right, Danny. I don't." she spoke in a serious tone, "You do. You're the only one who does. You're trying to restart something that existed long ago that no one today knows about or even care about."

As she spoke, SpongeTron stopped drinking and SpongeBob III stops texting as they become invested by what Lexi is saying.

"You can't just bring all of us together and expect us to become a team, Danny. I ran away from home because I wanted to be on my own and not be part of a large group."

Danny Jr. argued, "But that's who we all are; beings from different worlds. Me from Amity Park, SpongeBob from Bikini Bottom, and you from…wait, what world are you from?"

"That…is also none of your business."

Without another word, Lexi ran out the door while Danny Jr. held his hand out, but she did not return. Afterwards, Danny Jr. turns to see the robot and sponge having watched the whole thing with interest, but the quickly go back to their own activities.

"SpongeTron, you have to get her back." Danny Jr. pleaded

"Why?" the intoxicated SpongeTron asked while chugging more oil. "She said she's… not interested in joining your…team. While it's a sad fact of life, you can't convince someone…to join something they…want no part of."

Danny Jr. gained a sad frown as he silently admitted to himself that SpongeTron was right. However, his sadness soon turns into an angered frown.

* * *

Outside, Lexi was walking through the city with her head hanging low as she nearly bumped into crowds of people who walked past her. From a top of the tall buildings, a figure was scaling the walls as it follows the same path as Lexi.

With a heavy sigh, Lexi mutters to herself, "What am I doing? I don't even know where I'm going to go."

She turns a dark corner where no one is nearby and the strange figure is still secretly scaling across the buildings after her. Finally, Lexi comes across a dead end and has no choice but to go back, but before she can, something lands in her path.

Lexi yelps in startle and asks, "Who are you? What do you want?"

"You came out of HQ, didn't you?" the figure spoke in a high-pitched female voice. "I want in!"

She takes a step forward to reveal herself as an orange and purple robotic squirrel with a spiked tail and green visor eye. Lexi was shocked by the sudden appearance of her opponent, but when the robot was about to strike Lexi with her dangerous tail. The robot was blasted away by a green laser.

Lexi turns to see Danny Jr. holding out his ecto-pistol. "Lexi!" Danny Jr. called out in worry as she rushed over to check on her.

"Danny?" Lexi asked, wondering what he was doing here. "How did you find me?"

Danny Jr. blushed and answered, "I…may have gone after you." Smiling slyly, he adds, "But I'm not alone."

This was confirmed when SpongeBob III came over, texting on his phone. "Good thing we did." SpongeBob III mentioned.

With a growl, the robot squirrel stood up to see her new opponents. "Didn't know she had bodyguards." With a sadistic smile, she adds, "I'll just have to take you all out."

Danny Jr. smiles and states, "Nicktoons…" but with no enthusiasm from Lexi and SpongeBob III, Danny Jr. says in defeat, "…oh, right."

When the robot squirrel jumps forward with fingers protruding claws. Danny Jr. takes out his staff and fights the robot, deflecting her attacks. Rather than help, SpongeBob III records the fight, and afterwards, texts, "'Big fight going on! Danny is KB. #WhoWillWin?'" And send."

The robot squirrel swings her tail at Danny Jr., who deflects the attack with his staff, but gets knocked back into a wall. Snarling through her buckteeth, the robot jumps forward with intent of killing Danny Jr. with her claws. But before she could get close, Lexi jumps into the action, swing her leg at the robot, pushing her away with a karate kick.

Lexi then grabs a lid from the trashcan and flings it at the robot's face, hitting her in the visor eyes, blinding her.

"Wow," Danny Jr. said, impressed. "So you do know how to fight."

"Yeah…" Lexi admitted with an embarrassed grin. "I have a few family members who know karate."

Once the robot squirrel gets her eye functioning again, she glares heavily at the two and snarls, "I've had it with you humans."

She takes a few steps towards the two teens, but SpongeBob III slides between them with his phone held out. "WAS!" he shouts, "Need a picture for my blog."

SpongeBob III takes a picture with his phone, and the flash blinds the robot and causes her to short-circuit, falling on the ground.

"Wow, SpongeBob," Danny Jr. states, "Looks like your weird stuff is helpful too."

"THX, Danny." SpongeBob III replied with a proud smile.

The squirrel robot was about to get back up, but Lexi rushed over and kicked her to make sure she stayed down. Suddenly, SpongeTron finally arrived to see what's going on.

"SpongeTron?" Lexi asked, surprised to see him here as well.

"You're L8, SpongeTron." SpongeBob III pointed out.

"Sue me for having a bad leg." SpongeTron nonchalantly replied. When he sees the defeated robot, he admits, "I don't know what happened here, but it looks like you kids did a good job here."

The three smile at getting a genuine compliment from the grumpy robot. "Wow," Danny Jr. cheerfully responded, "Thanks. Maybe we do have what it takes to be Nicktoons."

Hearing this, Lexi's smile vanishes and attempts to talk to him, "Danny…"

However, the squirrel robot recovers and starts to stand up. She is still angered at being defeated until she spots the other robot with them. "SpongeTron?!" she asked in shock.

SpongeTron suddenly turns his arm into a sonic cannon and aims it at the squirrel robot. "Looks like I have to complete the job you kids were too incompetent to finish."

But rather than attack again, the squirrel robot stared at SpongeTron in complete shock. "It can't be! Could it possibly be you, Spongy-Poo?"

SpongeTron deactivates his weapon and dully asks, "Come again?"

The three kids are confused by this. "Wait, wait, you two know each other." Lexi asks.

"And she calls you "Poo"?" SpongeBob III asks in confusion.

"Not all robots know each other, Lexi." An annoyed SpongeTron answers, "Contrary to what humans may think."

The robot gasped in shock and horror. "Spongy-Poo, what are you saying?" she asked on the verge of tears, "It's me, Java. We used to date!"

Lexi and Danny Jr. react in surprise. SpongeBob III was invested as well while he texts on his phone, "'BT! DNSTC!'"

But SpongeTron remained apathetic to the whole thing. "Sorry, never heard of you." He darts his eyes up and down her figure. "I'm starting to wish I had though."

Java looked even more stunned to see that SpongeTron did not recognize her. "How can you say that, Spongy-Poo? We haven't seen each other in over a decade! I thought you were dead!"

This last statement finally brings a reaction out of SpongeTron, "What?!"

Suddenly, Java zips over to SpongeTron and wraps her arms around him, holding him in a tight embrace. Lexi looked uncomfortable at seeing the unrecognizable robot holding their friend, but when she was about to intervene, Danny Jr. held her back.

"You don't know how happy I am to see you again!" Java said in a tearful voice.

As SpongeTron lied in the squirrel's embrace, he still had a confused look on his face, but couldn't shake the strange unfamiliar feelings he was having for the other robot. He starts to wrap his arms around her while saying, "I really am starting to wish I've heard of you."


	4. Chapter 4: A Betrayal

_Here's the next chapter of the Nicktoons: After Years miniseries. If you like it so far, please review and then you'll see the next chapter._

**Episode 4: A Betrayal**

After discovering that the robot squirrel, Java, apparently knew SpongeTron, despite SpongeTron having no memory of her; Lexi, Danny Jr., and SpongeBob III decided to bring her to SpongeTron's home to see what she knew about SpongeTron's past and maybe help him remember his purpose.

They were gathered in the living room as she told them about the robot SpongeTron used to be, but what she told them was not what they expected.

"Whaaaa?!" Danny Jr. said, agape. "SpongeTron used to be a Nicktoon?!" he turned to the robot in question, "How could you not tell us?"

SpongeTron frowned in dismay, "Hey, I'm just as surprised as you are."

"It's true, Spongy-Poo." Java said with a cute smile, "Oh, we used to have so much fun. I would commit a crime and you and your team would try and stop me."

An unamused Lexi asked, "You call that fun?"

"You're too young to understand."

"Hold on, toots." SpongeTron asked with scowl of disbelief. "If you're saying I was a Nicktoon, then how come I ain't one anymore?"

"He does have a point." Danny Jr. agreed, looking disappointed. "My dad and grandpa were Nicktoons, and I've never once heard them mention SpongeTron. How about you, SpongeBob?"

As usual, SpongeBob III was lying on the couch, texting the whole time. Without even looking up, he shrugs and hums, "IDK."

With a sad sigh, Java responds, "I wish I knew. You were a Nicktoon. But one day, you went on some kind of mission and never returned. I guess after a while, everyone just stopped searching for you."

Hearing this, SpongeTron surprisingly fell silent and stood from the couch. Without a word, SpongeTron walked away from everyone and stood in the middle of the room. Everyone watched as suddenly, SpongeTron tossed his wrench across the room and screamed in agony as he activated his sonic cannon and shot at the ceiling, causing bits of ceiling to fall on everyone.

He stopped when he lost his balance and fell on his face. SpongeBob III was too nervous to make a move, but Danny Jr., Java, and Lexi leap from the couch and rush to the distressed robot's side.

"Spongy-Poo!" Java called in worry.

"You gotta calm down!" Danny Jr. urged.

Danny Jr. and Java pull him back to his feet to reveal his sobbing face. "Don't bother with me!" SpongeTron cried, "This only proves that I have no purpose!" He pulls himself out of Danny Jr. and Java's grasps and bitterly claims, "If the Nicktoons didn't care enough about me to find out where I've been, then I don't want anything to do with them!"

"SpongeTron, hold on a sec." Danny Jr. calmly assures, "We don't know for sure that's what happened. Now that we know who you were, we can go talk to my grandpa tomorrow and get the whole story."

Lexi comes over and hands SpongeTron his walking wrench. "I hate to admit it, but Danny's right. You'll feel better knowing the truth."

After having calmed down, SpongeTron stands up while leaning on his wrench and sighs in depression. Seeing how defeated her former lover is, Java comes over to him and holds his arm. "I can show you the truth about who you were before you disappeared. We can access my memory banks together. It'll be just like old times."

As if hell suddenly froze over, SpongeTron suddenly started to smile as he leaned closer to the female robot and felt the most comfortable than he ever remembered feeling. "I would like that." He said in a quiet voice.

The two robots walk off together, disappearing in the hallway while the two humans watch. Lexi then glances at Danny Jr. and quietly says, "Danny, if that robot is really a criminal, I don't know if I can really trust her."

"Me neither." Danny Jr. tensely agreed, "Especially if she used to be an enemy of the Nicktoons."

Still on the couch, SpongeBob III was texting while he said out loud, "'SpongeTron and Java SIAT! K-I-S-S-I-N-G! #Grossness #Yuck' And send!"

* * *

Six hours later, Lexi was just waking up from a nap on the couch. She sits up and sees how late it is, but doesn't see anyone else in the living room. With a yawn and stretch, Lexi stands up from the couch and goes to look for everyone. She hadn't seen SpongeTron since he wandered off with Java, and wondered if they were still together.

"SpongeTron?" Lexi asked as she walked through a random room through the automatic door. Upon going inside, Lexi screams in horror by what she sees, "Aaah!"

"Aaah!" Danny Jr. screams as well while sitting on the bed and hugging a costume close to his body.

"Danny!" Lexi shouted in shock, unsure about what was going on. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing!" Danny Jr. answered sheepishly, "Just…getting ready for bed."

Lexi didn't know if she believed him, especially seeing the outfit he was holding. "Well, nice PJs." She sarcastically said with a frown.

Danny Jr. sighs and replies, "Alright, you caught me. This is actually my ghost hunting uniform."

He stands up and holds the outfit in plain view. It appeared to be a black jumpsuit with white stripes on the sides of the torso, a white cape held together with a green DP clip, and on the floor were white gloves and boots with green trimming.

Lexi tried to stifle a chuckle as she saw the costume. "You actually go out in public in that?"

"It means more to me than that." Danny Jr. explains as he folds the outfit neatly and places it in his toolbox. "If you knew my grandpa, he had his own ghost hunting uniform."

Danny Jr. tosses the Nicktoon photograph to Lexi and she looks at the image of Danny Jr's grandfather to see his own simpler costume. Danny Jr. further explained, "Being half-ghost, all he had to do was transform and "bam", he was Danny Phantom- powers and all."

He then picks up a green pointed visor and puts it on over his eyes. "If you saw the outfit my dad can transform into, you'd be able to tell he was a superhero too." He removes the visor and sulks, "Unfortunately, I was never gonna get that luxury…" he suddenly perks up and adds, "…That's why I decided to make my own superhero outfit to hunt ghosts in."

Hearing Danny Jr.'s strive to be just like his Phantom predecessors, Lexi couldn't help but smile at this. "Wow…I'm impressed."

"By my determination to be the best superhero I can be?"

"No, that you actually know how to sew."

Lexi and Danny Jr. suddenly burst into hysterical laughter. Once it dies down, Danny Jr. sits on the bed and Lexi sits down right next to him. Danny Jr. smiles, mentioning, "I'm kinda hoping I can wear it while we go on Nicktoon missions."

Hearing this, Lexi groans and asks, "Do you really still think we're gonna be Nicktoons?"

"Come on, it'll be wicked. Plus since SpongeTron used to be a Nicktoon, he can teach us everything he knows."

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Danny. Not to rain on your parade or anything, but we don't know if SpongeTron really was a Nicktoon or not. And…it's a little hard to think that they really gave up on SpongeTron."

Danny Jr. frowns in disbelief, "No…I refuse to believe that. You'll see soon enough that the Nicktoons really are heroes."

Lexi slyly smiles and says, "The determination's pretty impressive too."

"Really?" Danny Jr. asked while smiling excitedly.

Both Lexi and Danny Jr. fall silent while smiling. Danny Jr. then leans closer to Lexi, who suddenly leans away in confusion. "What are you doing?" Lexi asks.

Danny Jr. quickly composes himself and answers, "Uhhh…nothing?"

Lexi is unamused and said nothing. Instead she just gives Danny Jr. back the Nicktoon photo and stands from the bed while walking out of the room.

Danny Jr. rolls his eyes and says to himself, "Well, I just royally screwed that up."

* * *

Meanwhile, down the hall in SpongeTron's room, it was dark and quiet and filled with junk and recently emptied cans of oil littering the ground, aside from a large computer against the wall and a single metal table that held Java in sleep mode and SpongeTron, who was lying right next to her with a contemplative frown.

Suddenly, SpongeTron sits up and glances over at Java, still blissfully sleeping. He slides off the table and grabs his walking wrench before limping over to the computer and booting it up.

While remaining quiet, SpongeTron opens his chest and takes out a USB cord that he plugs into the computer and imports all the information he downloaded from Java. On screen, SpongeTron sees some old news articles regarding the previous two generations of Nicktoons. He didn't recognize any of them and became depressed again until he clicks on another article that shows Java being foiled by another group of Nicktoons, which he sees included SpongeBob III's grandfather.

"Find what you're looking for, Spongy-Poo?" SpongeTron turns to see Java leaning on top of the table with a cunning smile.

With a serious frown, SpongeTron turns back to the screen and answers, "I just found out you were telling the truth about being a criminal and an enemy to the Nicktoons. I'm surprised that SpongeBob kid doesn't know who you are, given that his grandfather foiled you so many times."

Java walks over to him and holds his shoulders as she stares at the computer screen. "Oh, Spongy-Poo, that's not anyone's grandfather, that's you."

"What?" SpongeTron exclaimed in disbelief. "Your eyes are worse than Lexi's. I look nothing like that."

Java grabs SpongeTron's left wrist and pushes a button on it, but nothing happens. "You used to have a cloaking device that can make you look like anyone- even your creator."

SpongeTron became fascinated by what he found out, and stared at the image of what he used to look like. "Creator…?" but he quickly snaps out of his daze and slams the button on his wrist with rage. "Oh, what does it matter? Even if SpongeBob's grandfather really created me, he obviously never cared enough about me to keep me around."

However, Java suddenly grabs SpongeTron's face and brings it close to hers. "Don't forget, Spongy-Poo. If not for SpongeBob, you wouldn't even exist."

She seals the deal with a kiss on SpongeTron's lips. But while the bitter robot seemed entranced, he suddenly feels an electric shock that renders him unconscious and Java lets him fall to the ground.

Java casually leaves SpongeTron's room and walks down the hall into the other room that contains the Portal Machine that SpongeTron and Lexi used the other day to get to Amity Park. Smirking, Java rubs the palms of her hands together while saying, "It's still here, just like I knew it would be."

She walks over to the bottom of the machine and opens a small hatch to reveal a glowing device inside. She pulls it out, detaching some small wires connected to it.

"What are you doing?"

Java became startled and quickly turns around to see Lexi suddenly standing by the doorway. "Where's SpongeTron?" Lexi asked.

Without answering, Java activates her laser gun and shoots Lexi in the shoulder, knocking her down. Lexi holds her shoulder as she lies on the ground, and her eyes widen to see the robot approaching her, still armed with her weapon.

"This is the power source for your little portal machine." Java sadistically answered, "Thanks to you and Spongy-Poo charging it up to go on your last adventure, I know for sure that it works and I'll get the payment I deserve."

Suddenly, Java yelps when another laser shoots at her hand, causing her to drop the power source. She turns to see Danny Jr. holding out his ecto-pistol that he was aiming at Java.

"I thought there was something nutty about you." Danny Jr. stated.

Java growls in anger and sarcastically retorts, "How lovely that you're just as annoying as the old Nicktoons."

Lexi tries to grab the power source, but is stopped when Java swings her tail in front of her and grabs the power source for herself. A few blasts of ecto-energy blow past her from Danny Jr. firing his weapon at her.

Danny Jr. responds to her, "I'll take that as a compliment."

As he continues firing at her, Java dodges his shots by climbing onto the ceiling and scaling across while holding the power source between her teeth. Danny Jr. rushed over and helped Lexi to her feet.

"We have to get that power source." Danny Jr. informed, "Otherwise we can't get back home."

Lexi nodded in agreement and rushed down the hall with Danny Jr. In the living room, SpongeBob III was sleeping soundly in a washtub full of water while cuddling his phone close to his body. However, he is suddenly awoken by the loud noise of Java running through the living room with Danny Jr. attempting to blast her with his ecto-pistol.

"OMG!" SpongeBob III shouted with excitement, "Recordable content!"

He quickly took out his phone and started recording everything he sees. Java scaled the walls of the living room while Danny Jr. shot at her. But she appeared to be too fast for him and only managed to hit the walls and the glass window.

Lexi ran over to Java, holding a metal rod. "How could you trick SpongeTron like that?" she angrily asked the robot. "He trusted you!"

With a sadistic smile, Java answered, "That's always been our thing. You'll understand when you're older."

Lexi screams in anger as she runs towards Java while swinging the rod. But Java lifts her spiked tail up and swings it, launching her spikes towards Lexi, but Danny Jr. quickly jumps on top of Lexi, tackling her to the ground as the spikes miss them both.

"Well, this has been fun, but I've got to go." Java says before leaping through the air and escaping through the broken window.

SpongeBob III was still recording the whole thing with his phone, and then moves to Danny Jr., who was still lying on top of Lexi. He smiles at her, but she is unamused and puts her hand on his face, pushing him off of her.

"I can't believe she got away." Lexi complained.

"No kidding." Danny Jr. agreed in disappointment. "I bet our grandfathers never lost this bad."

Lexi holds his left shoulder and assures, "Even heroes mess up sometimes. But you still fought hard."

"NK!" SpongeBob III agreed as he showed them the video he recorded on his phone. "I caught the whole fight on my phone, so I can relive it." He then starts typing on his phone. "After I post it online of course."

"Lexi? Danny?" SpongeTron walks into the room, limping as he walks with his wrench.

Seeing the robot makes Lexi smile in relief. "SpongeTron, you're okay!"

"Java just ran off with power source to the portal machine." Danny Jr. explained, "What happened to you?"

A scowl suddenly appears on SpongeTron's face as he looks away. Seeing how the robot was obviously hiding the pain of his heartbreak, Lexi said, "I'm sorry, SpongeTron."

"No, I'm the one who's sorry." Danny Jr. stated, "I didn't try hard enough to stop her."

"Pfft!" SpongeTron scoffed, "From the looks of the place, I think you did. Maybe you are meant to be Nicktoons."

Lexi playfully elbows Danny Jr. with a smile. "From SpongeTron, you should take that as a compliment."

Danny Jr. returned with a weak smile. "Thanks. I think I'm gonna take a walk to clear my head."

He walks away and heads out the front doors while Lexi and SpongeTron watch, feeling it best to leave him alone.

"Wow…" Lexi says, feeling pity for Danny Jr. "Being a Nicktoon like his grandpa really means so much to him."

SpongeTron turns away as he too begins to feel sorry for the kid. "He's not gonna learn anything from me."

As usual, SpongeBob III is oblivious to what's going on around him and is preoccupied with watching the video he took on his phone. "If Danny hadn't broken that window, the robot squirrel wouldn't have got away, LOL." SpongeBob III pointed out, "Guess he really didn't try hard enough to stop her."

* * *

Danny Jr. walked through the dark streets with his hands in his pockets, still looking melancholy. As he approaches the same alley where they first encountered Java, he lets out a heavy sigh and walks in. Danny Jr. stops halfway in, staring into the darkness of the alley.

"Did you get what you wanted?" he asks.

A cold voice responds, "Yes, I did."

Stepping out of the shadows was an old scientist with unkempt red hair, goggles over his eyes, a white lab coat with a high collar covering his mouth, and black gloves and boots.

The scientist adds, "Java delivered the power source and I paid her. So if things progress, then my machine should work just as well. Though to be honest, I wasn't sure you would actually go through with this."

Danny Jr. looks away in shame while responding, "I will admit, I feel bad for lying to everyone. But it'll all be worth it when the Nicktoons are here- the REAL Nicktoons." Danny Jr. turns to the professor in concern, "Are you sure this will work, Professor Essee? Can you really bring them here?"

Professor Essee calmly answers, "As long as you continue to keep our little secret, I will give you what your heart desires."

Now smiling with joy, Danny Jr. replies, "You're right. I'll finally get to see Grandpa in his prime, and he and the rest of the Nicktoons will show the others what being a Nicktoon is really about."


	5. Chapter 5: A New Alternative

_For a note regarding the future of this fic, please check out my deviantart page: SOLmaster11._

**Chapter 5: A New Alternative**

Morning came and everyone was hardly able to get some sleep- with Java's betrayal being only the tip of the iceberg as to why.

"WHAAAAA!" SpongeTron bellowed in a hysterical mess as he stumbled around the living room dragging a partially empty can of oil. "WHY?! Why did I have to open my core processor?!"

SpongeTron stretches his arm across the room and grabs a fresh can of oil to drink. Slumping on the couch as they were forced to listen to his ramblings, Danny Jr. and Lexi were lying across from one another with pained expressions on their faces.

"How much has he had?" Danny Jr. dully asked.

Lexi answered in the same tone, "Twenty-four."

After guzzling down the oil, SpongeTron cried out, "It meant something to me! But it meant NOTHING to her!"

Finally, Lexi stood up and told the robot, "SpongeTron, come on! It's pretty obvious that everything Java told you was a lie! Just forget about it!

With a hard frown, SpongeTron spun around to face Lexi and responded, "I've ALREADY forgotten, and I have my whole life!" SpongeTron fell on his knees and looked sorrowful, "But for a while, I thought I finally knew who I was and what my purpose is, but now I'm back to the way I was: A blank slate."

"Has…that always been a robot saying?" Lexi asked, confused.

Danny Jr. came over and gave a comforting smile. "Come on, SpongeTron. That's far from true. You have us now."

SpongeTron spins around again and leans towards Danny Jr. with a vicious scowl, "Riiiiight…because THAT is what got me in this state in the first place!"

However, he ends up falling on his face while Lexi glares down at him, unamused by the robot's behavior. Danny Jr. hardly seemed taken in by SpongeTron's ungratefulness, but suddenly felt his pocket vibrating.

"I'm gonna step out for a bit." Danny Jr. told Lexi before walking past SpongeBob III, who was busy playing an app on his phone.

Danny Jr. walked outside the front door and took out his vibrating phone to answer a call, "Hello?"

On the other end was Professor Essee_, "Danny Fenton, I'm glad you answered. You see, I have good news: The portal machine I've been constructing can now jump to different worlds, including yours."_

Hearing this, Danny Jr. smiled, "That's great!" he cheered, "So that means you can bring them back soon, right?"

"_I also have bad news: While my portal can access different worlds, it cannot access different time periods."_

Danny Jr.'s smiles immediately deflated at this news, "Oh…swell."

"_In order to do that, I would need a machine that can already move backwards in time."_

"You mean like a time machine? How on earth am I supposed to find that?"

Professor Essee responded, _"I trust you'll figure something out."_

At this, the professor hung up, leaving Danny Jr. disappointed as he walked back inside the building to find that SpongeTron is now unconscious in a corner with Lexi plugging him into the wall.

"You totally missed it, Danny." Lexi enthusiastically explained, "SpongeTron started to think he was at a summer camp, and then he just, whoosh, blacked out."

"Hey!" SpongeBob III called out from across the room, "Can you keep it down? I'm on Level 48 of Cranky Clams."

As he's playing the game, his screen suddenly changes to an incoming call from "Grampy". However, SpongeBob III groans in dismay at having his game interrupted that he pushes the ignore button. "Thanks a lot, Gramps! Now I have to start all over!"

Having seen what happened, Danny Jr. asks, "You ignore your grandpa's calls? That's pretty low."

As he focuses on his game, SpongeBob III explains, "You don't know my grandpa. He's always telling me stories about his childhood, his days as a Nicktoon, how he time travelled once…"

Hearing this, Danny Jr.'s eyes widen. "Wait, wait, you say he time travelled?"

"Yeah, so?" SpongeBob III carelessly replied, "He has a time machine somewhere, I guess."

Danny Jr. immediately saw this as an opportunity to get what he needed to help the Professor continue his work. "You have to call your grandpa back! Right now!"

But Lexi was confused about why Danny Jr. was suddenly interested in SpongeBob III's grandfather. "What? Why?"

"Can't right now." The uninterested SpongeBob III responded, "I got 47 levels to go."

Danny Jr. turns to Lexi and whispers, "Uhh, Lexi? A little help here?"

While she didn't know what exactly was going on, she smiled and answered, "I got your back."

While SpongeBob III was focused on her phone, Lexi rushed over and snatched SpongeBob III's phone out of his grasp. "MY PHONE!" he cried in panic.

Lexi tosses the phone over to Danny Jr., and when SpongeBob III was about to jump after it, Lexi grabs the sponge and restrains him while he kicks and screams. Danny Jr. quickly accesses SpongeBob III's last incoming call.

While he waits for it to ring, he suddenly hears what he assumes is SpongeBob III's grandfather answering, and Danny Jr. heightens his voice as he speaks to him, "Hello, Grandpa? This is your grandson, SpongeBob. Yeah, I'm stuck in the world of Retroville, and I was wondering if there's any way you can help me get back home."

Danny Jr. doesn't hear a response. Right before the phone hung up, he suddenly sees a green portal open up in the room, which he assumes came from the person on the other end of the phone.

As Danny Jr. is about to walk in, Lexi immediately gets in his path while holding SpongeBob III. "Wait, Danny," Lexi warns him. "SpongeBob's home is under the ocean, remember? If we go through that portal, we'll drown."

SpongeBob III tries to reach for his phone back from Danny Jr., all while the latter becomes distraught to remember he even still has it. This causes SpongeBob III to start crying like a baby while Lexi refuses to let him go.

"Darn, you're right." Danny Jr. replies to Lexi's warning. He glances over at SpongeTron, who is still passed out over at his charging station like someone with a hangover. "…and SpongeTron isn't gonna help us anytime soon. Wait here, I'll be back."

He rushes away to one of the labs and quickly calls Professor Essee on his phone. "Hello, Professor?" he says frantically, "Look, I found a solution to your problem. But I need to go underwater to get it. Do you have anything to help me breathe?"

"_I do not have anything to aid in your mission, but there may be something in that place that can protect your lungs."_ Professor Essee explained on the phone, _"Look around for some gum."_

"Gum?" Danny Jr. questioned, raising an eyebrow. "What's gum gonna do?"

"_Do not argue. Hurry and find some gum, and chew it while you're underwater."_

Danny Jr. knew he didn't have a lot of time so he quickly swiped the junk off one of the desks and rummaged through the drawers until found a small packet of what looked like pieces of gum with an atom symbol etched on it. He quickly popped a piece into his mouth and chewed, smiling as he realized he found what the professor was talking about.

With that, he rushed back over to Lexi and put a piece of gum in her mouth. "Chew this and walk through the portal." Danny Jr. quickly explained as he pushed her and the sobbing SpongeBob III towards the portal.

"Danny, what are you-" Lexi tried asking until Danny Jr. pushed her into the portal.

"Just chew and don't stop!" Danny Jr. shoved them both into the portal, and then turned to the unconscious SpongeTron. "You're coming too."

* * *

Under the ocean in Bikini Bottom, Lexi dropped SpongeBob III on the ground due to the shock over actually being under the sea. She was equally surprised by the fact that the gum she was chewing was supplying air into her lungs, allowing her to breathe underwater. From out of the portal behind her, Danny Jr. jumped out next to Lexi while carrying SpongeTron over his shoulder.

"Danny, this is incredible!" Lexi said with so much excitement in her voice. "How did you find this air gum?"

Not wanting to tell her the truth about his connection to the mysterious professor, Danny Jr. casually explained, "Oh, I…I remembered hearing about how my grandpa used to come here."

With both teens distracted, SpongeBob III snatches his phone out of Danny Jr.'s grasp and cuddles it close, happy to have it back. "Oooh, I missed you." SpongeBob III grinned and took a selfie.

SpongeBob III then uploaded the photo and Danny Jr. asks him, "Okay, SpongeBob, which way to your grandfather's house?"

"Huh?" SpongeBob III asked, no longer paying attention to anything now that he has his phone back. "Oh, this way."

Despite the fact that SpongeBob III was walking and texting, Danny Jr. and Lexi decide to follow him to wherever he was leading them.

* * *

As they walk through the city, they come upon the only building that was not really a tall building, but a small pineapple that was nearly rotting. "Don't tell me we have to go in there." Lexi said, looking slightly disgusted.

SpongeBob III took a pic of her face and responded, "Yup. Don't worry. Grandpa's robo-snail always keeps it clean."

Danny Jr. and Lexi follow SpongeBob III inside the pineapple and see that the inside was neatly decorated. They then hear a voice that sounded like SpongeTron's, but raspier, "There you kids are."

They see an elderly SpongeBob SquarePants Sr. wearing his white shirt and brown square pants, and now had a long gray beard. He used a walking cane to slowly get to the group, "I was wondering when you'd get back, SpongeBob." He said in a cheerful tone. "And I see you brought Lexi and Danny with you."

"You know who we are?" Lexi asked in surprise.

SpongeBob Sr. held up his own smart phone and replied, "I follow my grandson."

"It's nice to finally meet you, Mr. SquarePants." Danny Jr. cheerfully greeted, "I've heard a lot about you from my grandpa."

SpongeBob Sr. came over to Danny Jr. and pinched his cheek. "You look just like the ol' boy too. It makes me proud see the Nicktoons are continuing."

Lexi then intervened, "Actually, Mr. SquarePants, we're not…"

Before she can break the bad news to SpongeBob Sr., SpongeTron's body started to whir, causing Danny Jr. to drop him on the floor as he reactivates.

"Oh, boy…" SpongeTron groaned tiredly as he took his wrench out of his chest compartment and used it to help him stand. "Where the hell did I wake up this time?"

While SpongeTron was groggy, SpongeBob Sr.'s cane dropped on the ground as the elderly sponge stood there in shock at seeing his robot double. "So it's true." He muttered in astonishment.

SpongeTron turned and noticed SpongeBob Sr. staring at him. But SpongeTron still appeared grumpy and unamused, "Who're you?" he carelessly asked.

After picking up his cane, SpongeBob Sr. walked over to SpongeTron and got tears in his eyes. "It really is you." He said with his voice fully of sorrow and joy.

The kids appeared mystified by the square sponge and square robot hunched over with their canes, standing opposite of each other. SpongeBob III recorded the whole interaction on his phone while Lexi whispered to Danny Jr., "I totally see the resemblance now."

Now overcome with emotion, SpongeBob Sr. wrapped his arms around SpongeTron and cried, "I thought I'd never see you again, 001."

Not liking being grasped by the stranger, SpongeTron glared and complained, "Okay, this is the weirdest moment of my existence."

SpongeBob III took a picture with his phone and the flash causes SpongeTron to short-circuit again and fall out of SpongeBob Sr.'s grasp. "Aww, that was so sweet," SpongeBob III says, "I'm TTLY posting it."

"So you really do know each other?" Lexi asked the elderly sponge and robot.

"Don't be stupid." SpongeTron bitterly replied. "Of course not."

SpongeBob Sr. was stunned by SpongeTron's behavior. "SpongeTron, what are you talking about. I'm SpongeBob, your creator. I was a Nicktoon. You were a Nicktoon."

Danny Jr. smiled to hear this. "So you were a Nicktoon, SpongeTron."

"And you are connected to SpongeBob's family." Lexi smiled as well, she turned to SpongeBob Sr. and asked, "So you really created him?"

SpongeBob Sr. smiling bashfully and answered, "Well, I had help."

But SpongeTron became furious and yelled, "YOU created ME?! Well, answer me this, SquareButt: If you're really my creator, where have you been?! And why didn't you give me a purpose?!"

Everyone became silent by the awkward situation. SpongeBob Sr.'s expression turned to sadness. "So you don't remember a thing." SpongeBob Sr. realizes. "And I think I know why." He goes over to his chair and has a seat, "Gather round and I shall tell you the truth."

SpongeBob III just groaned in dismay, "Oh boy, here we go."

He, Danny Jr, Lexi, and SpongeTron take a seat on the floor in front of SpongeBob Sr. and he begins to tell them the truth about SpongeTron.

He began, "SpongeTron was part of the ST-Police Force after his Nicktoon team disbanded. Programmed to help people, it was the best job he could do, and he was the best there is- until fifteen years ago. There were reports of suspicious activity in Retroville. SpongeTron and his team went on a mission to investigate. No one ever expected what happened next."

SpongeBob Sr. explains how SpongeTron had gone inside an old building by himself that was housing criminals. But as he was sneaking around, a grenade rolled at his feet. Before SpongeTron had time to react, a huge explosion went out and destroyed the entire building, engulfing it in flames with SpongeTron still inside.

"After all the chaos died down, every member of the police force to every member of the Nicktoons searched the area for SpongeTron-Unit 001. They searched for days, they searched for weeks, and they searched for months. But we never found any sign of SpongeTron, and eventually we just had to assume…"

SpongeBob Sr. was unable to finish his story and silence fell, only for it to be broken by SpongeBob III texting out loud, "'OMG! Drama bomb!' And send!"

But SpongeTron was able to deduce what had happened to him. "I don't recall any of that." SpongeTron stated, "All I remember is waking up under a pile of rubble and not knowing who I was or where I came from."

"I think I get it now." Lexi explains, "That accident must've done something to the data that stores your memories. That's why you can't remember anything about your past or your purpose."

SpongeTron rolls his eyes and retorts, "Well, obviously."

Despite this, Lexi added, "So if we fix whatever's wrong with you, maybe we can get all your memories back."

"It's a stretch." SpongeBob Sr. says, "But I know a guy who may be able to take a look inside SpongeTron and fix whatever's ailing ya. After all, he was the one who helped create you."

SpongeTron snatched the Nicktoon photo from Lexi and stared at the image of the boy with the large head and brown swirly hair. "It's this one, right?" SpongeTron asked, "Cuz only someone whose shoulders seem to do all the work could've created something like me."

"Uh, Mr. SquarePants?" Danny Jr. interrupted, "Not to change the subject or anything, but is it true you have a time machine?"

"Oh, yes," SpongeBob Sr. offhandedly answered, "It's down in the basement, you can find it in the back of the room. Why, I remember the first time I used that thing. It was created by my lovely wife, Sandy, and I ended up going into the future, which to be fair is actually the past by this point in time."

SpongeBob III rolls his eyes. "TYS." He said to his friends as he goes right back to texting.

As SpongeBob Sr. continued to ramble on about how he once time-traveled, Danny Jr. sneaks away from the group and goes down the hall to locate the basement. Danny Jr. opens a door and finds the stairs leading down to the basement. He smiles in satisfaction and goes down where he finds boxes of old junk.

Following SpongeBob Sr.'s directions, he goes to the back of the room and finds a large archway that he assumes is the time machine. Danny Jr. takes out his phone and makes a call, "Hey, Professor Essee? I think I found the time machine. Do you have a way I can bring it to you?"

Professor Essee explains, _"I have arrangements all ready." _

"Danny?"

Danny Jr. jumps in startle and turns around to see Lexi standing behind him. "Lexi!" he cried out, not expecting her to follow him and see what he's up to.

"What are you doing down here?" Lexi asks, and notices the machine behind him, "What's that?"

Danny Jr. froze, not wanting to tell her the truth just yet. But suddenly, a green portal appeared next to them, having been sent by Professor Essee for Danny Jr.

Having forgotten he was still on the phone with the professor, he heard his voice come out of the speaker, _"The portal to Retroville should be there. Take it."_

Surprised by the portal that appeared next to Danny Jr. and the mysterious voice she heard coming from his phone, Lexi became suspicious and asked, "What's going on?"

Looking remorseful, Danny Jr. says, "I'm sorry."

Without warning, Danny Jr. punches Lexi in the stomach, causing her to fall back and cough out her air gum. When she landed on the ground, Lexi struggled to hold her breath as she looked up at her attacker. Danny Jr. immediately regret what he did, but grabs hold of the time machine and uses all his strength to push it towards the portal.

Before leaving, he looks down at Lexi, whose face was turning blue, and says, "This will all make sense soon enough."

When Danny Jr. and the time machine disappeared through the portal, it disappeared. Lexi was unable to find her piece of air gum and unable to hold her breath any longer. She started to pass out.

It seemed as if Lexi would drown until she suddenly felt oxygen going into her lungs. Lexi opens her eyes to find SpongeTron standing above her, having strapped a mask connected to an oxygen tank that once belonged to SpongeBob's family.

Seeing that the bitter robot saved her life, she thanked him with a weak smile and SpongeTron flashed her a rare smile as well.


	6. Chapter 6: A Simple Explanation

_Good news is I'm going to continue this fic after all, though I will no longer be posting it weekly. Instead I will be posting the remaining three chapters next week or so. So you'll still get to see the resolution._

_Enjoy…_

**Chapter 6: A Simple Explanation**

In Bikini Bottom at the SquarePants residence, after being rescued from drowning, Lexi explained the situation to SpongeBob III, his grandfather, and SpongeTron about Danny Jr. causing her situation while stealing the time machine in the basement.

"Well, DNSTC." SpongeBob III said while texting on his phone. "#EtTuDanny?"

"Hmph," SpongeTron huffed. "I knew there was something funny going on with that kid. Actually, I knew there was something funny about all of you. Danny was just the one I was more suspicious about."

Putting her hands on her hips, Lexi stated, "Well, I'm not gonna take this lying down. We're gonna find Danny and I'm gonna give him a piece of my mind."

"'We?'" SpongeTron questioned.

But SpongeBob Sr. interrupted, "Now hold on a second, fellas. I know Young Danny's actions may seem a bit surprising, but you should at least give him a chance to explain himself. Isn't that what a friend should do?"

Hearing SpongeBob Sr. refer to Danny Jr. as this made them feel awkward since neither of them ever called each other friend, let alone think of themselves as a team. But Lexi felt it best to assure him, "We'll do our best, Mr. SquarePants."

SpongeBob Sr. smiles and gets up from his chair, slowly walks over to his drawer and takes out his old Recaller. He explains, "Use this to take yourselves back to Retroville."

Lexi smiles and accepts the Recaller from the old sponge. Afterwards, SpongeBob Sr. approached the robot.

"SpongeTron," he states, "After you get all this stuff with Danny taken care of, I would like you back with us."

"Me? Back with you?" SpongeTron questions, "But I barely know you. At least I feel like I barely know you." He almost gets emotional, but quickly composes himself, "It's kinda funny. I've finally discovered who I am and what my purpose is and yet I'm still not happy."

SpongeBob Sr. holds his shoulder and gently assures, "Just give it time, SpongeTron. There's still a chance we can get you fixed and recover your memories. But even if it's impossible, you're still the SpongeTron I've known and missed all these years. Everyone will be so happy to have you back home."

SpongeTron seemed to be contemplating the thought of finally having a real home with a real family, especially if it meant regaining his identity and his purpose.

Before he could give his answer, Lexi operated the Recaller and created a portal that would take them to Retroville. "Okay, I think I got it." Lexi announced, "SpongeBob, SpongeTron, let's go."

SpongeTron turned back to SpongeBob Sr. and responded, "Let me get back to you on that. I feel I should help Lexi and SpongeBob take care of this thing with Danny if I'm ever gonna get them outta my life forever. But, uh…thanks for telling me the truth, Creator…I mean, Mr. SquarePants."

SpongeBob Sr. watches serenely as SpongeTron went off to join a new generation of Nicktoons- even if they were unwilling to refer to themselves as such.

* * *

In Retroville, inside the highest room above a tall skyscraper, many gadgets, equipment, and empty oil cans litter the dark room. Among them was the time machine that Danny Jr. stole from SpongeBob Sr., which was connected to a portal machine that was similar to the one in SpongeTron's home and a large computer that Professor Essee was typing on.

Watching from behind was Danny Jr., who was nervously wringing his hands as he anxiously waits for the professor to turn on the machine and put his plan into action.

"So what's the word, Professor?" Danny Jr. curiously asks, "Will it work?"

As he works, Professor Essee answers, "With the power source and the time machine you've brought me, the portal machine will be operational in a matter of minutes."

Hearing the good news, Danny Jr. smiles in excitement. "For real? It'll work?"

"Once the portal energy gathers, it will. It may not be as strong as Neutron's, but it will get the job done."

"I can't believe I'm gonna meet the original Nicktoons. I can't believe I'm gonna meet my grandpa…in his prime." Danny Jr. stops when he realizes he's missing something, "Oh, oh, hold on a second, Professor. There's something I need to get. Don't do anything without me!"

Danny Jr. rushed out of the room, leaving Professor Essee to continue his work in operating the portal machine.

* * *

Down below in the city, Lexi, SpongeTron, and SpongeBob III have arrived in Retroville. "Alright, Lexi, where's Danny?"

"I don't know." Lexi admitted, "All I do know is that Danny is meeting someone here."

"STOP! THIEF!" a voice calls out.

The three stop and see Java running down the sidewalk with a wallet in her hand. SpongeTron narrows his eyes at seeing his former lover. "I think we just found our lead."

Java runs into an alley to hide from the law. She opens the wallet to search its contents, but becomes disappointed by what she finds. "Ugh!" She complains, "What kind of person doesn't carry cash in their wallet?"

"I met a nice ATM once who felt the same way."

Java immediately recognized the voice and turns to see SpongeTron holding out his sonic cannon with Lexi and SpongeBob III behind him.

"Spongy-Poo!" Java greeted with fake enthusiasm, "Long time no see."

"I just saw you last night!" SpongeTron shouted in fury, "I noticed you didn't stay for breakfast."

"Robots don't eat."

"Pfft! I knew that."

Java just casually turned around. "Anyway, I had a job to do. Some really nice scientist guy asked me to snatch up that portal machine part or whatever for him. He paid me really well for it- more than what I'm stealing right now."

Lexi suspiciously asked, "Do you know anything about Danny working for that scientist?"

"How should I know? And why should I care?"

In heartbroken fury, SpongeTron stretches his arm out to grab her shoulder and spins her around. "After I met you, for a moment I thought I knew who I was. But what you did to me just broke me apart more than any trash compactor I've thought about climbing into could ever do."

However, Java remained apathetic. "You're forgetting that robots aren't supposed to have feelings."

A flash suddenly blinded Java and caused her to short-circuit. After taking a picture, SpongeBob III typed on his phone as he spoke out loud, "I'm putting a lot of symbols and frowny faces under this post."

Lexi was unimpressed by Java stomping all over SpongeTron's feelings. She storms over to the fallen robot and kneeled down to her.

"Listen here, you robot rodent. You may think you're bad just cuz you stole SpongeTron's heart and our way home, but you're nothing compared whatever bad guy Danny Fenton is working for, and since he has a time machine in his hands, I'd say it's pretty bad. Now unless you wanna risk the end of the world and the end of your pick-pocketing days, I say you better tell us where we can find this scientist guy."

After hearing this, Java gives an exasperated sigh and answers, "Go to the top of the Retroville Sky Needle. He's set up shop there."

Java quickly gets up and runs away. Lexi looks pleased as SpongeTron approaches her.

"How'd you do that?" SpongeTron curiously asked.

Lexi answered, "I can be pretty convincing. That's my useful skill."

* * *

At the tallest building in Retroville, Professor Essee typed on the computer and the Universe Portal Machine powered up, creating a bright light in the center.

"Where is that Fenton kid?" Professor Essee asked impatiently, "If he doesn't come back soon, I'll just do this without him."

"So Danny is here."

Professor Essee reacts in startle and turns to see Lexi. "What are you doing here?" he asked.

Lexi answered, "We're here to get back what was stolen from us."

SpongeBob III stepped forward while texting on his phone. "'Found Grandpa's time dealy. #MissionAccomplished.' And send."

SpongeTron grumbled to himself, "That machine has caused me nothing but trouble since it turned on. Honestly, I can take it or leave it."

Seeing the robot, Professor Essee suddenly fell into stunned silence and almost seemed to fall over. "S-SpongeTron? It…it can't be."

"And you are?" SpongeTron carelessly asked.

"Who cares who he is?" an impatient Lexi asked. "Let's just get the machines and leave."

Lexi started to walk over to the outlet where the portal machine was plugged in. But right as she started to bend down, she heard a cocking noise. Her heart nearly stopped as she stood up. Behind her, Danny Jr. is wearing his Phantom costume, pointing his ecto-pistol at the back of Lexi's head.

"Ooh, this is unexpected." SpongeTron said with no enthusiasm.

As he holds his phone, SpongeBob III's hands tremble while his face looks heartbroken. "WTB, Danny?"

"Step aside, Lexi." Danny Jr. fiercely threatened, aiming his gun at the girl. "Let the professor finish his work."

Lexi turns to Danny Jr. and angrily asked, "Why are you doing this, Danny? I thought you wanted to be the good guy."

"Yeah, I did. I was the only one who did."

Danny Jr. recounts not long after he met Lexi and SpongeTron while he was putting his hoverbike outside, Professor Essee approached him. "After you and SpongeTron refused to restart the Nicktoons, I met Professor Essee. He said he can give me what I wanted: Meeting the Nicktoons- the real Nicktoons, the ones that existed long ago, the ones my grandpa was a part of, the ones that started…"

"Yeah, yeah, I get it." Lexi dully interrupted.

"He said if I helped him get the stuff he needed to fix his portal machine, he could make it happen. After we got stranded in Retroville, I decided to accept the professor's offer. He's using that Portal Machine to access the other worlds, and he's using that time machine to access the other worlds in the past, and in one of them is my teenage grandpa. When the Nicktoons from the past are here, you'll see for yourselves just how great they are and it'll be enough to inspire you to be just like them."

SpongeTron just scoffed, "Pfft, yeah, like I'm gonna be inspired by a bunch of unsupervised kids."

SpongeBob III texts on his phone, "'TBH Grandpa says time travel is BN. #Paradoxes'. And send."

Hearing Danny Jr.'s reasoning for going behind their backs and working with a stranger in possession of time travel, Lexi slowly narrowed her eyes in anger.

To Danny Jr.'s surprise, Lexi smacked the gun out of his hand and she yelled out, "You did this for us?! Don't kid yourself, Danny! The only one you're really trying to inspire is yourself! You're still the only one here who wants to be a Nicktoon! The only Nicktoon you're interested in meeting is your grandfather! Why else would you be wearing that superhero costume?! You're obviously hoping to fool him into thinking that you're a Phantom too! Face it, Danny! You let your own self-doubt cloud your judgement!"

Danny Jr. fell silent as he frowned at Lexi in anger. "Start the machine, Professor." He demanded, but got no response. "Professor?"

He then looks at Professor Essee, who appears to be fixated on SpongeTron. A flash nearly blinded Danny Jr. thanks to SpongeBob III taking a pic of him with his phone. "I'm making a traitor blog and putting you in it, Danny. I just need a pic of this guy."

He points his phone at Professor Essee and takes a pic of him. The camera phone flashes, but to everyone's surprise, Professor Essee's body short-circuits as he falls to the ground.

"Professor!" Danny Jr. called out in concern.

As the electricity around Professor Essee fades, his body flickers, and in his place is a square robot identical to SpongeTron, except silver and red with red eyes and fangs.

Danny Jr. was shocked to see the robot. "Professor Essee? What happened to you?"

Standing up, the robot somberly answers, "Sorry kid, I identify as SpongeCog-Unit 001."

"Who?" Danny Jr. wondered, having never heard of the robot.

SpongeBob III types on his phone, "'Essee=#Obvious.' And send."

Lexi stares at the robot and points out, "Wow, SpongeTron, he looks a lot like you."

"You're right, Lexi." SpongeTron replied, looking astounded, "Even I can see the resemblance."

SpongeCog suddenly smiles as he approaches SpongeTron, "So it really is you, SpongeTron." He suddenly becomes emotional, "I…I thought I'd never see you again."

SpongeTron began to get weirded out by the robot's behavior, "Uhhh, am I supposed to hug you or care that this is happening?"

"What?!" SpongeCog asked, shocked by SpongeTron's dismissal of him. "SpongeTron, don't you know who I am? I'm SpongeCog, your archenemy." he smiles hopefully as he speaks, "Your evil twin cousin."

But SpongeTron still looked unimpressed. "Okay, first of all, how can we be cousins and twins? And secondly, what the heck kind of name is "SpongeCog"? Did whoever built you try to copy my design and twist the name so it sounds like a more demented version of "SpongeTron"? Talk about unoriginal."

SpongeCog looked devastated by SpongeTron's apathetic behavior. SpongeCog growled in frustration and started to throw a punch at his fellow robot. SpongeTron flinched, only to open his eyes and see that SpongeCog's fist stopped mere inches from his face.

"I can't do it." SpongeCog said as his hands drop to his sides. "I am a robot built without emotions. But seeing you, my hated enemy, for the first time in decades, I feel happy. But seeing you, not as an annoying happy squishy lover, I feel sad."

"Ahem?" SpongeCog jumped in startle to see Lexi suddenly standing behind him. She simply asks, "Can you explain what's going on? I'm literally confused here."

"I can use an explanation myself." SpongeTron says, "I find out I have a creator and an inbred cousin all on the same day." He mumbles, "Where's the oil when I need it?"

"You don't remember?" SpongeCog asks and explains to SpongeTron, "We were the greatest of enemies. I've fought you and the Nicktoons countless times."

SpongeTron rolls his eyes, "Sheesh, is every robot I don't remember meeting my enemy?"

SpongeCog continues, "It was during our last encounter that you and the Nicktoons deactivated me. I was stored away and forgotten, until I was brought back to life by a mere rat. I emerged into the world and saw how much it changed, but I was without a master, without comrades, and without an enemy. I soon began to change, but I was alone."

As he listened to the story and stared at the robot, SpongeTron began to feel reminded about how he first emerged into the world, "Alone…and without a purpose." SpongeTron concluded for him.

"Oh, I still have a purpose." SpongeCog explained, "It states that I must eliminate the Nicktoons. But there are no Nicktoons to fight anymore."

"Wait," Lexi wondered, "If you're supposed to be a bad guy, why are you so interested in bringing back the Nicktoons?"

SpongeCog went over to the machine's controls and answered, "Because I want to bring back the Nicktoons _before_ they became the Nicktoons."

"What?!" Danny Jr. and Lexi asked in shock.

As he spoke, SpongeCog had a tranquil smile as he calmly spoke, "If I bring them here before they were Nicktoons, I can prevent them from ever becoming Nicktoons, stop all their heroic acts, and prevent everything that's happened to me and to SpongeTron."

"Huh," SpongeTron said as he thought this over, "Makes a pretty good point."

"Course in order to make sure that never happens… I have to kill them."

"Less on point."

Danny Jr. couldn't believe what he is hearing, "You…you lied to me!"

SpongeCog looked remorseful and stated, "You were pretty helpful for a squishy, Danny Fenton, but I did what needed to be done. Besides you'll still get to meet your young superhero grandfather. But eliminating him and the Nicktoons will be good for us, good for the world. I will have fulfilled my purpose."

"You're crazy!" Lexi shouted, "If you do all that…"

Before Lexi could explain, SpongeBob III interjected, "It will cause a disturbance in the flow of time, thereby rendering not only the Nicktoons nonexistent, but also anyone related to them such as Danny and myself, and the things they created such as SpongeTron and you."

Lexi stared at him in amazement, "Wow, how'd you figure that out?"

"When you spend a lot of time on the internet, you learn things."

Despite being told this, SpongeCog still looked calm and responded, "I am prepared to make that sacrifice. Their mere existence has brought nothing but trouble since they came together, not just for me, but for everyone. Isn't that right, SpongeTron?"

"I…I…" the conflicted SpongeTron stammered, "I don't remember!"

"Son of a…" a furious Danny muttered as leapt through the air, holding out his ecto-pistol and shot multiple times at SpongeCog. The blasts hit SpongeCog and the machine, doing minor damage to his body and making the controls start to malfunction.

"No…" SpongeCog groaned, and then slammed his fist on the large button. "BRING THEM HERE!"

The portal machine starts to vibrate and glow brightly, causing the whole room to shake. Everyone started to lose their balance and debris started falling everywhere.

A large piece of debris fell from the ceiling and landed on Lexi's head, causing her to fall on the floor.

"Lexi!" SpongeBob III called out in worry.

SpongeTron suddenly threw his wrench across the room and it hit the power source of the portal machine, shattering it into pieces.

"NO!" SpongeCog yelled out.

As the place started to crumble, Lexi struggled to remain conscious as she stared at the energy the portal machine had already built up started to expand and suddenly explode, sending a pillar of electricity crashing through the ceiling and into the sky, sending out an EMP through the city. This causes the electricity inside the room and all the lights in Retroville to go dark.


	7. Chapter 7: A Familiar Face

_Here is the next chapter of "Nicktoons: After Years". Unfortunately, the ending will be delayed due to a family emergency, but so you don't have to wait too long, I decided to bring you the first part of the final chapters._

_Hope you enjoy and please review what you think… _

**Chapter 7: A Familiar Face**

Lexi groans as she slowly opens her eyes, glancing around as she realized she was back inside SpongeTron's home that was lit only by candles. Her head felt like it was pounding and she tried to sit up from the couch.

"You shouldn't move." A familiar voice told her.

Lexi turned to see Danny Jr. sitting next to her in a chair, still wearing his Phantom costume. "You're still pretty banged up." He explained.

He held a bag of ice on her head in order to reduce the swelling. However, Lexi frowned in dismay since she still recalled the reason why she was like that in the first place.

"What are we doing back here?" Lexi asked. "How long have I been out?"

Danny Jr. answered, "A couple hours."

"No kidding." SpongeBob III spoke up as he sat on the other end of the couch, playing an app on his phone. "I've had time to stock my village with new crops and create new jobs for my townsfolk."

"But what about that SpongeCog robot?" Lexi asked, "He's still gonna use that machine to bring back those Nicktoons from the past."

Danny Jr. assured, "Don't worry. The machine broke down when he used it. But…" he became uncomfortable as he spoke, "…his plan didn't entirely fail."

Lexi became suspicious by his behavior. "What do you mean?"

Right then, the lights turned on and power was restored to the building. "I did it!" a child's voice called out.

Who ran into the room next was someone Lexi did not expect. It was a small boy with blue eyes, swirly brown hair on his large head, and was wearing a red shirt with a yellow atom symbol, blue shorts, and brown loafers.

"I fixed up your generator, so we no longer have to be without electricity." He enthusiastically stated.

Lexi couldn't believe her eyes. "Wait a second." She reached into her sweater pocket and pulled out the photo of the original Nicktoons. She stared at the image, realizing that this was the exact same boy who was part of the group, though somehow looked different from how he looked in the photo. "You're one of the Nicktoons."

"One of the what?" the boy asked in confusion.

"Uhh, Lexi?" Danny Jr. began nervously explaining, "This is Jimmy Neutron, the leader of the original Nicktoons- or at least he will be."

""Will be?"" Lexi asked in surprise.

"Yeah. SpongeCog's machine only managed to bring back Jimmy Neutron from the past. But way before he ever thought about forming the Nicktoons."

"So this is the future." The 9-year-old Jimmy Neutron realized in excitement. "I can't believe I'm actually here."

"Are you kidding?!" Lexi asked in dismay. "Do you know how much this can affect the timeline?"

But Danny Jr. argued with Lexi, "Why do you think he's here? SpongeCog was about to kill him right then and there until SpongeTron suggested we bring him here."

"And then what?" Lexi demanded to know.

"We haven't really thought that far ahead." Danny Jr. awkwardly admitted.

Lexi growled in anger and asked, "Where is SpongeTron anyway?"

"He said he couldn't deal with all this, so he went out to get more motor oil."

"Hmph, figures as much."

The young and curious Jimmy asked, "Do I really form an interdimensional team of heroes in the future?"

"No!" Danny Jr. quickly answered.

"Yes!" an exasperated Lexi immediately answered.

"Lexi!" Danny Jr. snapped, disbelieved that she would reveal such crucial information about the future.

But Lexi responded, "You know, at this point, I don't care."

Jimmy ignored the arguing and grew even more excited. "Wow, this is unbelievable! I am a complete success in the future! But do I achieve a Nobel Prize? Do I discover new periodic elements? Do I invent a time traveling automobile?"

While Jimmy was trying to unravel the mysteries of his future, the two teens continued to argue.

"I think you did enough damage to the future, Danny Fenton." Lexi hissed at him. "Tell me, was going behind our backs and teaming up with a psychotic robot just to meet your teenage grandfather worth all this?"

The scowl on Danny Jr.'s face disappeared as he resigned, "No…it wasn't."

With a look of sadness, Danny Jr. marches past Lexi and leaves the room while she watches, feeling slight pity for him.

While SpongeBob III was watching snail videos on his phone, ignoring everything as usual, Jimmy curiously looks over his shoulder.

"Is that a snail playing piano?" Jimmy asked.

Without taking his eyes off the screen, SpongeBob III answers, "It's a phone, you noob."

"You mean phones become handheld television sets in the future?" Jimmy asked in disbelief. "And what's a "noob"?"

* * *

At the Retroville Sky Needle, SpongeCog looks out the window to see the only building in Retroville with electricity: The Nicktoon HQ.

"Weeks of planning…all for nothing." SpongeCog said depressively as he walks away from the window and slumps on the floor against a desk. He starts chugging a can of motor oil much like SpongeTron would.

"Got some to share?"

SpongeCog immediately recognized the voice and turned to see SpongeTron standing in the doorway.

"SpongeTron!" SpongeCog exclaimed, standing in surprise. "What are you doing here? After you ran off with the child Jimmy Neutron to disrupt my plans, I didn't expect you to return."

Without his wrench for support, SpongeTron limps over to SpongeCog, answering his question, "I wanted to ask you something before you wipe me from existence."

While SpongeTron was slowly making his way over, SpongeCog didn't have the patience to wait, so he just stretches his arms out and grabs SpongeTron, seating him on top of the desk. SpongeCog takes a moment to examine SpongeTron's busted leg.

"Your leg is quite in bad shape- and has been for years." SpongeCog states, "Please allow me to repair it for you."

Despite the kind gesture, SpongeTron stares at him in suspicion, "On a related note, if you say that we were really enemies, why are you being so nice to me? Especially when you're trying to murder a human child just to prevent me from ever existing?"

As he used a screwdriver on SpongeTron's knee cap, SpongeCog answered, "Because like you, I was deactivated against my will. I now know the trauma you felt after being shut down and locked away in a basement, only to be accidentally reactivated and brought into this new world. It…changed me."

Despite SpongeCog becoming sentimental, SpongeTron couldn't care less. "Uh huh…Well, I just woke up under a ton of rubble one day and I don't feel like I changed at all."

SpongeCog couldn't believe how different SpongeTron has become from the last time they met. "You really don't remember anything."

He held SpongeTron's hand and helped him down from the table. To SpongeTron's surprise, he was able to stand up straight and walk without any difficulty.

"I don't believe it." A stunned SpongeTron said as he walked in place and stretched his leg. "You really fixed me. I haven't felt like this since…well, ever."

"I'm glad I can help you, SpongeTron." SpongeCog said with a sincere smile until realizing, "Now there's a sentence I never thought I would say. After all, that is what _you_ were programmed to do."

"Me? Programmed to help people?" SpongeTron asked in disbelief as he chuckled, "I think we got our programming mixed up. Think you can fix _that_?"

SpongeCog chuckled in the same manner. "I may be able to fix your body, but I can't fix your mind. If only you had that computer in the HQ building, then I might be able to restore your memories."

SpongeTron's look of amusement turned to shock realization. "Wait! You said computer? Is this HQ building you're talking about in my home?"

"Of course. You never noticed a large computer that's supposed to be in your room?"

"Of course I noticed, bolt brain. But I've been living in that building without electricity for years. How was I supposed to use it?"

SpongeCog glances towards the window with the view of HQ that is still the only building with electricity. "Well, it looks like you can use it now. If my own memory serves, you used to charge yourself at it every night; and every time you did, it would back up your memories of the previous day. Perfect if you were ever destroyed and your consciousness needed to be transferred into a different vessel. Now why didn't those squishies, Neutron and SquarePants, ever think to do that the first time you went missing?"

Suddenly, SpongeCog was thrust against the desk, knocking the whole thing over while SpongeTron pinned himself on top of him, looking determined and enraged.

"This computer you're going on about!" SpongeTron snarled, "Can it transfer those memories into my body? How far back do those memories go?"

SpongeCog calmly answered, "I can't say for sure. Presumably to the last time you charged yourself. If we're lucky, it's the day before you went missing."

SpongeTron went into shock and let go of SpongeCog, stumbling back as he realized his wishes will come true and he'll regain everything that he had lost. SpongeCog cautiously approached the robot and told him, "This is your big chance, SpongeTron. You can remember your past…your purpose…your enemy."

SpongeTron stood there, almost shell shocked. But suddenly, he turned around and grabbed an oil can off the ground, opening it, and chugging it until the can was completely empty. He nonchalantly tossed it away and frowned.

With a belch, he said, "Let's do this."

* * *

Back in HQ, Lexi knocked on one of the bedroom doors. It automatically opens by itself and she walks in to find Danny Jr. removing his visor, cape, and gloves.

Realizing she caught Danny Jr. in the middle of undressing, and embarrassed Lexi tried to back out, "Oh, I, uh, sorry I didn't mean to barge in."

But Danny Jr. was nonchalant about the whole thing. "Don't worry. I just remembered I left my clothes at Essee's place- or should I say, SpongeCog's place."

"In that case, keep the costume on. Listen, we should really think of a way to get Jimmy back to his own time period. I'm not sure how long he can stay before the time stream gets all messed up."

Danny Jr. still seemed melancholic as he replied, "R-Right. I guess once SpongeTron gets back, we can think of a way to get that time machine back from SpongeCog."

Lexi noticed how depressed he was and she asked, "Danny, are you okay?"

With a sigh, Danny Jr. answered, "Look, I know this whole thing was my fault and I'm sorry. You were right about me. The only reason I joined Professor Essee was because I wanted to be like my grandpa: a superhero and a Nicktoon. But I don't have any powers and I don't have my own team. Since he was bringing the original Nicktoons back, I thought that by meeting the past version of my grandpa, I could see what he thinks me being the next Danny Phantom even without ghost powers or a Nicktoon team.

"If only I knew how much danger I was putting him in by bringing him here." Danny Jr. sits on the bed and buries his face into his hands out of grief. "I let my own self-doubt cloud my judgement."

"No, Danny, that's not what happened." Lexi interrupted, getting his attention. "You were trying to become someone you're not. You're not your grandpa, you're not your dad; you're you. You may not have ghost powers like the previous two generations, but you're a different kind of Danny Phantom. Isn't that what you told me when we met? I thought you were proud of that."

Danny Jr. started to smile as he replied, "I am…and so is my dad…and my grandpa."

He quickly stands up and puts on his gloves, cape, and visor. He turns around, posing in determination. "I'm Going Ghost!"

But Lexi looked unimpressed by the battle cry. "Was that always your thing?"

Danny Jr. approaches Lexi and holds her shoulders. "Thanks for reminding me who I really am."

He leans forward, about to kiss Lexi until she stops him. "Danny, I don't think this is a good time. We still have to get Jimmy back home."

An embarrassed Danny Jr. responds, "Right, right, let's…do that first."

* * *

Out in the hallway, SpongeTron sneaks by, using his newly repaired legs to nimbly tip-toe through the hall. Following him was another SpongeTron, who was only distinctive from his red eyes. The door to SpongeTron's room automatically opened and the two robots walk in.

The second SpongeTron transforms back into SpongeCog and walks over to the computer in the room, turning it on, while SpongeTron watches.

"You're sure this will work?" SpongeTron asked.

As he typed on the keyboard, SpongeCog answers, "We will soon see."

SpongeTron became anxious as he picked up a can of oil, shaking it upside-down to see if there was any oil inside, but the can was completely empty.

"Here we are." SpongeCog announced, "This seems to be your back-up hard drive." He flips open a panel on the computer and finds a USB port. "All you need to do is connect yourself to the computer and the data will transfer into your memory."

SpongeTron places a hand on his chest as he becomes almost nervous. "Well, this is it. I'll go from being a blank slate to…some sort of helper droid. I suppose I should thank you, SpongeCog. Just thought I should say that now in case I remember hating you and go back to considering you my enemy."

"Oh, think nothing of it, SpongeTron. It's just a shame you'll recover your memories of being a Nicktoon and how you helped them taint this world. Not to mention being the lackey of one Jimmy Neutron."

As SpongeTron was about to pull out his USB cord, he froze in horror, realizing the real reason SpongeCog wanted to bring him here. Narrowing his eyes, SpongeTron muttered, "Mother fu…"

"Huh?" the two robots turn to see Jimmy standing at the doorway, confused by what he was seeing. "What's going on?" he asked.

Without warning, SpongeCog extended his arms and swiftly grabbed Jimmy, pulling him into his grasp.

"NO!" SpongeTron yelled.

* * *

In Danny Jr.'s room, Lexi and Danny Jr. stop when they hear the young boy screaming.

"Jimmy!" they both exclaim.

* * *

SpongeCog restrained the terrified Jimmy in his arms, holding one of his claws to his throat.

"So this was your game, was it?" SpongeTron asked in anger. "I let myself be vulnerable to you and I fell for your lies."

"Lies? Is that what you think?" SpongeCog asked. "Please, if I wanted to, I could've broken in here and completed my goal at any moment."

SpongeTron was confused by what he was saying. But right on cue, Lexi, Danny Jr., and SpongeBob III arrived.

Jimmy sees them and pleads, "Help me."

SpongeBob III steps forward and holds his phone out. "Fear not." He heroically declared. "You all think I'm just a phoneaholic, but I've been paying enough attention to know that I have the power over robots. Watch as I selfie this robot to-"

Before he can immobilize SpongeCog, a laser shot at the phone and knocked it out of SpongeBob III's hand and it dropped on the floor, smoking.

"OMN NOOOOOOO!" SpongeBob III cried out in horror as he fell to his knees in front of his phone.

SpongeCog deactivated his laser and pointed his claw back at Jimmy's neck while the latter struggled to get free. "No one make a single move." SpongeCog demanded.

Danny Jr. pleaded, "SpongeCog, please don't do this. Just let him go."

SpongeCog just slyly smiled and replied, "Oh, Fenton, haven't you realized it yet? Your life is no longer in danger."

"What are you saying?" Lexi asked.

"My plan may have been to bring back all the original Nicktoons before they joined together and kill them, but I now have their leader, their founder, in his most vulnerable state." SpongeCog explained as he held the trembling Jimmy. "Killing him now will result in the Nicktoons never existing, nor will the other members ever gain knowledge of each other and encounter one another. Interdimensional travel will cease to ever be discovered."

"I'm really responsible for all that?" Jimmy asked as he grew a nervous smile. "I am both amazed and terrified simultaneously."

SpongeCog became chipper as he explained to Danny Jr., "Which works out for you because you and your sponge friend will still get to exist."

SpongeBob III was still so distraught over his phone as he stared at the cracked screen. "I would rather be wiped from existence." He muttered in despair while Lexi held him for comfort.

SpongeTron was unamused as he responded to his twin, "Joke's on you. You're forgetting that little big head here helped create me, which therefore helped create you. So killing him will still result in both of us never existing."

Despite hearing the flaw in his plan, SpongeCog chuckled maliciously, "You think I don't know that? My goal is to stop the Nicktoons from ever existing. If you think about it, I'm the real hero here."

"Killing a kid and stopping a team of real heroes from existing does not make you a hero!" Lexi yelled.

Danny Jr. yelled, "Even if my existence is spared, I can't let you stop my grandpa and dad from creating their legacy."

"You're gonna pay for what you did! #NoWarranty!" SpongeBob III yelled in fury.

They were about to step forward, but SpongeCog placed the tip of his claws on Jimmy's throat. "Nah ah ah." SpongeCog taunted.

This caused the three to immediately stop in their tracks.

Jimmy timidly spoke, "Umm, you know, I'm not really motivated anymore to experiment with interdimensional travel or create cube-shaped robots, so if you can just let me go…" he yelped when SpongeCog tightened his grip around him.

SpongeCog gently spoke, "Don't worry, squishy. I won't be killing you just yet. Not until SpongeTron recovers what he lost."

SpongeTron was confused, but quickly understands what he meant. "You mean you were serious when you said this thing can restore my memories?"

"Of course I was. The only reason I haven't completed my plan yet was because I want to help restore you to your true self. I was devastated when I heard you had been destroyed and I wasn't the one to do it. But even now that I know you're alive, part of you is still destroyed. Before I prevent us from ever entering this cruel world, I wanna see the real you one last time."

"So you're saying you won't kill him unless I restore my memories?" SpongeTron asked, "In that case…"

SpongeTron turned his hand into a sonic cannon and charged it up as he prepared to destroy the computer that contained all his desired memories.

However, SpongeCog anticipated this threat. "Oh, I wouldn't do that, SpongeTron." He fiercely threatened, "Either way, I'll get what I want."

SpongeCog placed his claw on Jimmy's face and slowly dragged it down his cheek; cutting the skin and making it bleed.

"NO!" Lexi cried out as Danny Jr. growled and clenched his fists. SpongeBob III covered his eyes and turned away.

Tears appeared in Jimmy's eyes as he cried out, "I'll never team up with anybody!"

SpongeTron was stunned by this while SpongeCog sadistically suggested, "You might as well give us both what we want."

Without another word of protest, SpongeTron deactivated his weapon and opened his chest to pull out a USB cable.

Lexi was concerned as she asked, "SpongeTron, what are you doing?"

"I don't know…yet." SpongeTron carelessly answered as he connected the cable to his computer and the screen read "transferring data" SpongeTron winced as he felt data pouring into his systems. Groaning, he jerked around and fell on the floor.

Not knowing what was going on, a concerned Danny Jr. asks, "SpongeTron, are you okay?"

Afterwards, SpongeTron opens his eyes and looks around, dazed and confused. "Where…where am I?" he asked as he stands up and mutters, "I'm supposed to go on a mission with the force today." But he finally gains notice of his surroundings and everything soon becomes clear to him. "Wait a minute…I'm home. I…I'M HOME!"

SpongeTron smiles and screams with so much joy and emotion in his voice that it was almost eerie. "I remember everything! My name is SpongeTron-Unit 001! I was created by Jimmy Neutron and SpongeBob SquarePants! I was designed to help people! I REMEMBER!"

SpongeTron starts running in circles as he laughed with joy, "I remember meeting my friends! I remember going on Nicktoon missions! I remember joining the police force! I remember the Creator feeding me krabby patty grease, I remember going into the Commander's room while he and his wife were…"

His voice trailed off as he spots Lexi, Danny Jr., and SpongeBob III staring at him in agape, stunned to see that SpongeTron was no longer acting like the irritable sarcastic robot they've come to know.

But SpongeTron gained a tearful smile as he stared at them. "SpongeBob…" he cried with joy as he went over to SpongeBob III and hugged him. "I can't believe I'm meeting the Creator's actual grandson. I mean, I've already met you, but now I know who you are."

Next, SpongeTron went over to Danny Jr. and held his hands. "Danny…I've just now noticed how much you look like your father, not to mention your grandfather, ha ah ah ah ah!"

Finally, SpongeTron approached Lexi, who stared at the robot in discomfort. "Lexi…I am pleased to officially make your acquaintance."

Lexi had no idea what to say to the now cheerful SpongeTron. "I, uh…"

Sniffling was heard, and they all turn their attention to SpongeCog, who had tears streaming down his face while he still held Jimmy hostage. "SpongeTron…" he said with a tender smile. "It really is you."

But now that he had his memory back, SpongeTron was far from happy to see him. "SpongeCog…" he said with an angered frown. "You act like you've changed, but you haven't changed at all."

An offended SpongeCog retorted, "Did you forget everything from before you recovered your memories?! If I hadn't changed, would I have helped you fix yourself? Would I still be helping you now that we're enemies again? What I'm about to do, I do for you."

SpongeCog tilted Jimmy's head back and placed the tip of his claw across his throat while tears dropped down Jimmy's blood soaked cheek.

"NOOOO!" SpongeTron screamed in panic at seeing his creator's past self about to be killed.

Suddenly, the ground beneath their feet began to rumble, causing SpongeCog to lose his focus. SpongeTron used this opportunity to extend his arm and pull Jimmy out of SpongeCog's grasp. He quickly passes the shaken boy into the arms of Danny Jr. "Get him outta here!" SpongeTron ordered the three.

Lexi, Danny Jr., and SpongeBob III immediately followed orders and ran out of the room with Jimmy.

"You fool!" SpongeCog yelled until he feels the ground shake again.

SpongeTron jumped into the air and turned his right arm into electrical plugs that he slams into the ground. It sends an electrical shockwave into the ground that shocks SpongeCog and he falls to the ground, sparking with electricity.

"SpongeTron…" SpongeCog muttered as he felt himself powering down. "…why?"

A solemn SpongeTron replies, "I'm thankful to you for helping me recover my past, but I can't let you erase it. Even with all the years of loneliness I've suffered, I wouldn't give it up for the world. I'm sorry."

With SpongeCog once again deactivated, SpongeTron gives a heavy sigh, feeling guilty about killing the one who helped him remember who he is. But his grieving was interrupted by the holler of, "SPONGETRON!"

* * *

Outside of HQ, Lexi, Danny Jr, SpongeBob III, and Jimmy were staring up at the night sky in complete shock. SpongeTron rushes out to join them, "Hey guys, what's going ooon?

Right above the Retroville Sky Needle, dark clouds have gathered and they release lightning. The sky then begins to tear like fabric, revealing a completely different world behind it. Another tear in the sky seemed to form and it cut into another world, each tear getting bigger and bigger.

"What's happening?" Lexi asked in fright.

Jimmy answered, "If I can speculate, there seems to be a disruption in the flow of space and time, and this can only be caused by an irregular effect that blasted through the world's surface and was powerful enough to reach the surface of other worlds throughout the dimension."

Lexi and Danny Jr. stare at him in agape, but SpongeTron hugged Jimmy as he joyfully said, "I've missed your hard to understand big worded explanations."

Danny Jr. states, "I think what he's saying is that the portal SpongeCog made caused some huge rift that's gonna destroy this world and the rest of our worlds along with it."

"Oh, barnacles!" SpongeBob III cursed as he fell to his knees. "Some BFD is occurring and I don't have my phone to record or tweet about it! TSNF!"

"What are we supposed to do?" Lexi asked everyone.

Danny Jr. insists, "We have to stop it of course. If we don't, everything we know will be destroyed."

"But how can we? You're a superhero, he's a phone addict, and I'm an ordinary girl."

SpongeTron interjects, "You're forgetting me, a robot with advanced if not aged machinery," he pulls Jimmy close as he adds, "Made by this guy right here: A boy genius who will grow up to be founder of the Nicktoons."

Jimmy smiles as he asks, "I really do all that in the future?"

Lexi argues, "But they were a world saving group. What are we?"

"The same as them." SpongeTron answers, "When they started, they were a bunch of kids just like you who came together one day and became a team that saved their worlds from harm. Your grandfathers did it, your fathers did it, I did it, and now it's your turn."

Danny Jr.'s eyes glow with a bright smile as he realizes his dream is finally coming true. "I knew all those stories I heard were true."

SpongeBob III shrugs his shoulders. "I think the ones I heard were true too. I didn't really pay attention."

Lexi sadly mentions, "But no one in my family has ever been a Nicktoon. I don't really belong."

SpongeTron puts his arm around her as he warmly smiles. "You always belonged, Lexi. I'm sorry I didn't tell you that sooner."

Lexi smiles at the genuine compliment she received from the now optimistic SpongeTron. Jimmy steps forward with a determined smile. "Well, I don't know what a Nicktoon is, but if it involves my obviously awesome future, I'll join you guys to save it."

"Whoo! Wicked!" Danny Jr. excitedly cheers, "Our Nicktoon team gets the OG Jimmy Neutron!"

SpongeBob III adds, "#Nostalgia!"

They all turn to Lexi, awaiting her response. Finally, she narrows her eyes and nods, answering, "If it'll help save all these worlds, I'll do whatever I can."

SpongeTron, Danny Jr., SpongeBob III, Lexi, and even Jimmy put their hands in the middle and SpongeTron announces, "Nicktoons…Unite!"


	8. Chapter 8: A Sacrifice

**Chapter 8: A Sacrifice**

Everyone in Retroville ran off in a panic as they tried to get somewhere safe as different parts of the sky rip open to completely different worlds. One tear was green and out of it came scary ghosts. Another tear was pink and unleashed a bunch of fairy dust that magically transforms a bunch of buildings and objects into something else. Another tear was the unfortunate one of being linked to Bikini Bottom, causing a bunch of sea water to start pouring on parts of the city.

After making their way through the chaos, the Nicktoons reach the entrance to the Retroville Sky Needle, armed with many weapons SpongeTron remembered that were stowed in HQ.

"Guys, this is bad." Jimmy stated to his teammates. "If we don't do something fast, all of Retroville will be destroyed."

"Hello! We are trying to do something." Lexi argued.

But SpongeTron replied, "No, Lexi, the little commander is right. Fixing the portal machine will take a while, so we have to keep everyone safe from all this chaos."

Danny Jr. cracked his knuckles with a cocky smile. "Looks like this a job for Danny Phantom."

"Don't you mean 'Danny Not-Phantom'?" SpongeBob III teasingly asked.

"Watch it." Danny Jr. threatened the sponge.

SpongeTron agreed with the plan. "Good idea. Danny, you and SpongeBob go keep Retroville safe as long as possible."

SpongeBob III cocked the pistol on his freeze ray and declared, "It's time to avenge my phone." And he started running off towards the action.

"Please be careful." Lexi told them.

Hearing Lexi express concern for his safety, Danny Jr. smiled before running off to join SpongeBob III.

The two run past the crowds of panicking people. Danny Jr. spots a ghost flying through the air, laughing maniacally.

Danny Jr. narrows his eyes and takes a Fenton Thermos from his belt. "Now I feel like I'm back home." He states while attaching the thermos to the gun's magazine.

When a ghost was laughing crazily while some citizens ran away, screaming. Danny Jr. got its attention by shouting, "Hey, Jekyll and Hyde! I think you got the wrong neighborhood!"

He leaps onto the top of a hovercar and fires his weapon. It releases a bright light that sucks the ghost into the thermos. Danny Jr. then flips off the car and back onto the street.

"The newest Phantom of the Nicktoons coming at ya!" he shouted in triumph while pulling in more ghosts that emerged from the skyward portal.

Danny Jr. then spots anti-fairies floating through the streets, using their anti-magic to create cracks in the ground and placing ladders and mirrors everywhere for people to come across. Danny Jr. spots a discarded hoverboard on the ground and quickly hops on it.

"Well, since my bike's back home, it's as good as flying." Danny Jr. says to himself while taking a device out of his belt and pushed a button, releasing his extendable staff.

SpongeBob III watches in stunned awe as Danny Jr. starts the hoverboard and rides down the street, striking the anti-fairies with his staff. As he watches the ghost hunter disappear down the street, a very impressed SpongeBob III calls out, "IS about the Not-Phantom thing!"

When he was about to run after him, SpongeBob III was suddenly hit in the head with a round object, knocking him down.

"WTH?" SpongeBob III muttered in dismay as he sat up. He looks up to see a round fairy baby floating above him. The very same fairy baby known as Poof, accidentally dropped into this world by the cosmic occurrence.

"This is not Fairy World."

SpongeBob III held up his tornado blaster and asked, "What are you supposed to be?"

Poof looked at the sponge and immediately recognized him as an old friend. "You look like SpongeBob." He said happily.

"My name _is_ SpongeBob. IDK whether you're a ghost or mutant that came out of those interdimensional rifts, but I as an NT will stop you."

"Poof is a fairy."

SpongeBob III lowers his weapon and looks depressed. "OMG, this day just gets worse. I meet a real live fairy and see other cool stuff that I can't take a pic of or post about it." He holds up his broken phone and cries.

Poof looks on, having never liked to see SpongeBob or any of his descendants sad. So he holds up his rattle and it glows. A glow of magic surrounds the phone and just like that, the cracks in the screen were gone and the phone looked like it was brand new.

"OMFN!" SpongeBob III cried out in joy. He turned on his phone to see it was working again, posed for a selfie, and tweeted about his comeback, "'SB is back, baby! #Return #Revival #ThankPoof'" SpongeBob III then pulled Poof close for a selfie, in which they both smiled happily. "And send!"

Suddenly, pairs of large feet stomp past them, nearly crushing SpongeBob III and Poof. The two back out of the way to see a group of woodies stampeding down the street, having come out of the Pupununu portal caused by the rifts.

SpongeBob III hands his phone to Poof and cocks his tornado blaster. "Make sure you get me from every angle." He advised the fairy.

Now that he was being recorded, SpongeBob III let out a war cry and ran towards the woodies. Once he stood ahead of the woodies, he aimed his tornado blaster at the woodies and fired a blast of wind. However, this did not faze them and they just proceeded down the street while kicking SpongeBob III out of the way.

Poof's eyes widen in shock and he floats over to SpongeBob III in concern. Though SpongeBob III seemed less concerned about any possible injuries and more about how he looked on the internet.

"Tell me no one saw that." SpongeBob III groaned and looked at his weapon in dismay. "Who ever thought a gun that blasts wind would be an effective weapon?"

He tossed away the tornado blaster and stood up. He snatched his phone back from Poof and started texting on it, "'Feeling like a lame Nicktoon RN :sad face:'…" he sniffles while crying. "…and send."

Poof feels sorry for SpongeBob III and narrows his eyes in determination. With a "POOF!" a pair of purple chain hammers appear in SpongeBob III's hands. He sees Poof's face on one of the hammers, who smiles and winks at him.

Grinning with satisfaction, SpongeBob III shouts, "OMG, now that's what I'm talking about!"

He runs down the streets while spinning one of the hammers on the chain. Once he catches up to the woodies, he throws the hammer and hits a Woodie in the back, causing it to wall to pieces. SpongeBob III then whips the chain forward, swinging the hammer left, smashing all the woodies into piles of wood.

"Now that's a hash tag." SpongeBob III said with a laugh. He then took out his phone and started typing on it. "I definitely gotta tweet that."

* * *

On the top floor of the Retroville Sky Needle, SpongeTron, Lexi, and Jimmy were working on the deactivated portal machine, using the tools from Danny Jr.'s tool box.

"Red wire, blue wire," Jimmy spoke as he fixed the inside of the machine. "I can't believe I actually designed this. I mean, I thought about exploring other dimensions, but I never imagined that I would one day succeed."

"Yeah, congrats on inventing the device that will one day end the world." Lexi sarcastically said. "Let's just keep working on stopping it."

SpongeTron comes over to them and cheers, "You guys can do it! I used to do stuff like this all the time. How do I know this? Because I remember now! I remember all my adventures!" he holds his arms out and twirls around with joy, moaning with pleasure.

Lexi frowned in annoyance and muttered, "I think I prefer him the other way."

Suddenly, a red laser hit the tool box, sending tools flying everywhere. They turn to see SpongeCog, alive and well with his blaster activated.

SpongeTron was shock to see him since he was sure he had deactivated him. "SpongeCog? But how?"

SpongeCog gleefully opened his chest to show his core processor glowing. "Back up battery." He answered. "After what you did to me last time, I wasn't gonna come unprepared. Now…"

A frightened Jimmy moved close to Lexi while she shields him from view. SpongeTron activates his sonic cannon as he moves in front of the two.

SpongeCog demands, "Step aside, SpongeTron. I have to do this. You know that."

"No, you don't." SpongeTron retorted. "I won't let you."

Angered by SpongeTron not cooperating even after he had helped him, SpongeCog snarled, "Then I just have to kill both of you."

SpongeCog deactivated his laser and unleashed his claws before jumping at SpongeTron.

"Don't stop working." SpongeTron quickly advised Lexi and Jimmy before he jumped at SpongeCog.

The two robots collided and they tumbled out the broken window and fell down fifty stories.

"SpongeTron!" Lexi called out in worry.

But Jimmy grabbed her hand and reminded, "Lexi, you heard the robot. We have to fix this machine so we can end all this."

Lexi nodded in agreement and continued assisting him in repairing the portal machine.

* * *

When SpongeTron and SpongeCog finally hit the ground, creating a large crater, SpongeCog had the good robot pinned down. SpongeTron activated his spiked gauntlet and punched SpongeCog off of him.

"I feel like I can cry, SpongeTron." SpongeCog stated with a happy smile. "This is just like how our last fight went down; us trying to kill each other while you protect your creator from me."

SpongeTron sullenly replied, "I do remember it now. Only I recall there being a giant robot involved."

"Time to pick up where we left off." SpongeCog maliciously stated. He ran forward and swiped his claw at SpongeTron.

The good robot responded by grabbing his arm and flipping him through the air and slamming him into a brick wall.

SpongeTron starts to charge at SpongeCog, but is suddenly rained upon with jellyfish falling from the sky and gets shocked for his troubles. Thanks to the distraction, SpongeCog punches him and sends him sliding across the ground.

As he stares at the fallen SpongeTron, SpongeCog clenches his fists in fury, stating, "How can you not appreciate everything I've done for you? After the Nicktoons ruined our lives, I could've made it all better."

With a loud crash, the sign of the Krusty Krab fall into the ground right next to them. SpongeTron stands up and angrily asks, "Look around you, SpongeCog. Is THIS what you call better?! Was trying to murder the child version of my creator worth all THIS?!"

"They shut you down right after they created you, and stopped they looking for you after you disappeared."

"No, they didn't." SpongeTron solemnly replied, "_I_ stopped looking for _them_."

With a frustrated growl, SpongeCog activated his laser and fired it at SpongeTron's left knee, damaging it and making SpongeTron limp.

SpongeTron yelped, realizing he couldn't stand up by himself anymore, just like before. "Barnacles, not again." SpongeTron complained.

SpongeCog cried out and tackled him to the ground. In a blind rage, he repeatedly punched SpongeTron in the face while the good robot lied there defenseless. Afterwards, SpongeCog stood up and activated his electric beamsword, raising it up in the air, pointed directly down at SpongeTron.

SpongeTron closed his eyes and awaited the end. But soon, he opened his eyes and saw the tip of the beamsword just inches from his face.

SpongeCog deactivated his weapon and resigned, "I still can't do it. I have my enemy back and he's at my mercy, but I don't wanna fight him." He helps SpongeTron up to his feet and continues, "I was programmed to hate you. My purpose is to destroy you and the Nicktoons, but I can't even do that now."

SpongeCog turns around and steps a few feet away, standing alone while slumped over in depression. Now feeling slight pity for the robot who just moments ago tried to kill him, SpongeTron sees a wrench on the ground and extends his arm to grab it and use it as a cane like he had been doing for the past decade.

"If I've learned anything from living without a purpose, it's that I can choose my own path." SpongeTron solemnly explained, "I now that I know my purpose, I'm content with following it…in however way I choose. I hope one day you can do the same."

SpongeTron limps away as fast as he can in order to get back to helping Lexi and Jimmy. SpongeCog continues to stand by himself, dwelling on the fact that he can no longer continue following his purpose.

* * *

SpongeTron returns to Lexi and Jimmy to see them still working on the portal machine. Once Lexi sees him, she quickly explains, "SpongeTron, we got a problem."

Jimmy explains, "The machine is now repaired, but it seems to be a lacking a power source to operate it. There was one in here, but it was completely destroyed."

Lexi narrows her eyes and recollects, "We know why, right SpongeTron?"

Hearing this, SpongeTron chuckled sheepishly, "To be fair, I didn't have my memory at the time."

Jimmy groans and says, "We would need something to provide the same amount of energy, but where can we possibly find something like that."

SpongeTron thinks for a moment and opens up his chest to reveal a glowing battery wired in his internal systems. "Guys, I think I have your power source." He announced, getting Lexi and Jimmy's attention.

"Isn't that like your battery?" Lexi asked.

"It's technically my core processor, but yeah." SpongeTron proudly stated, "But made by my creators with the strongest electrons and energy to power my whole system and it should work for any other system."

Jimmy, however, looked unsure. "But SpongeTron, without that battery in your systems, you'll cease to operate."

When she realizes this as well, Lexi gasps in horror, "What?! SpongeTron!"

"I know what this will mean." SpongeTron harshly states. "But if this is the only way to save our worlds, then I will gladly do it."

Lexi angrily protested, "SpongeTron, I can't let you do this. There has to be another way other than sacrificing someone."

"Don't argue with me, Lexi." SpongeTron sternly replied. "I've already made my decision, and it brings me great joy to know that I've made this decision as my true self. Can you…can you at least thank Danny and SpongeBob for me?"

With tears in her eyes, a still reluctant Lexi nodded.

Smiling in relief, SpongeTron reached inside his chest and grabbed hold of his core processor. When he was about to pull it out, a voice interrupted, "I always knew you'd give up your own life for humanity."

SpongeTron froze in horror and turned to see SpongeCog with the same sadistic smile. Lexi quickly hid Jimmy behind her to protect him. SpongeTron angrily turned his arm into a sonic cannon that he aimed at SpongeCog.

"I can't believe you, SpongeCog!" SpongeTron yelled. "After all this destruction, all this chaos, all this pain, you still wanna sacrifice Neutron just to forward your own goals!"

"Don't go talking to me about sacrificing!" SpongeCog argued as he walked up to the portal machine, "Not when you're about to do the same thing. You have your entire memory back, so you must recall that I was made from your programming and was built as an exact copy of you with the same weapons, the same data, and the same power source."

SpongeTron was easily able to recall the day SpongeCog was built and how everything that made him who he is was transferred into SpongeCog. "Yes, I do remember, and how it…" however, his voice trailed off as he soon began to comprehend what SpongeCog was implying. "…No, SpongeCog! I'd never sacrifice another robot!"

"You preached to me before about choosing the path in which we follow our purpose." SpongeCog opens his chest to reveal his core processor. "And if this is what will destroy you…then my purpose has been fulfilled."

In one foul swoop, he rips his core processor out of his interior wiring. With his last amount of energy, SpongeCog shoves it into the portal machine's power source before collapsing on the ground completely deactivated.

"NOOOO!" SpongeTron screamed in terror.

The portal machine turns on and glows brightly and builds up energy in the center just as it did last time. Lexi pulls Jimmy away when the machine shoots up a pillar of electricity and releases an EMP through the sky over Retroville. Lexi and Jimmy watch as the interdimensional tears in the sky begin to close.

* * *

In the city, Danny Jr. is using simultaneously using the Fenton Wrist-Ray and his staff to fight off ghosts. However, he is attacked from behind by a vampire jackalope and he is barely able to hold it back with his staff.

The creature snarls at him and bares its fangs until it is suddenly knocked away by a purple chain hammer. Danny Jr. sit up and sees SpongeBob III holding the weapon, which transforms into Poof.

Danny Jr. smiles with gratitude. However, the unconscious vampire jackalope is suddenly pulled into the sky towards the portal it came from.

SpongeBob III and Danny Jr. watch in amazement as all the anomalies that came from the interdimensional rifts were forcibly returned from whence they came. SpongeBob III was recording everything with his phone. He turns towards Poof, who smiles and gives a thumbs up before he too is pulled into the sky towards his portal home.

Tears of joy appear in SpongeBob III's eyes, grateful to the fairy that returned his phone and helped him save the day. He turns the camera onto himself and gives a tearful smile and thumbs up in return.

* * *

From atop of the Retroville Sky Needle building, Lexi and Jimmy watch as the rifts in the sky close and the sun starts to rise in the distance.

"We did it." Lexi said with joy and relief. "Everything's gonna be okay."

Jimmy seems to agree until he turns around and sadly remarks, "Almost everything."

SpongeTron is kneeling on the ground, cradling the empty shell of his former nemesis as he cried softly, "Oh, SpongeCog, I was wrong. You had changed."

As the emotionally destroyed SpongeTron's crying grew heavier, Lexi and Jimmy come over and sit by each side of SpongeTron, offering him comfort.


	9. Chapter 9: A Resolution

_And here's the last chapter of "Nicktoons: After Years" and of the whole Nicktoons series in general. Working on all these fics has been great fun and I'm happy there have been so many people who enjoyed them throughout the years, but even though I'll be leaving this site, I hope there'll be more people who enjoy my work and all my original work in the future. So for now, enjoy the last chapter, and please review what you thought of the whole story…_

**Chapter 9: A Resolution**

"_Last night during Retroville's strange weather phenomenon, there had been reports of heavy rain, ghosts, fairies, and other supernatural creatures- all of which, mysteriously vanished after the storm ended. Despite the heavy damage and a few injuries, there appears to be no casualties. While we cannot confirm the cause of all this, Retroville's renowned scientist, Professor James Neutron, has theorized that the storm was caused by an explosion of interdimensional technology that broke through the time and space leading to other dimensions. Thankfully, the danger was thwarted by a mysterious group of heroes, all of whom Professor Neutron has commended for their bravery and teamwork."_

From inside HQ, the young Jimmy Neutron was listening to the whole report on the radio, grinning from ear to ear at the mention of his future self. "Holy Heisenberg! I love my future!" Jimmy shouted excitedly, jumping up and down. "I mean, other than nearly being killed by a psychotic robot, experiencing a cataclysmic event, not to mention the risk to it all with me just being here, it's obvious that my own future is gonna incredible!"

As she fixed HQ's portal machine by putting the power source into it, Lexi couldn't help but smile at Jimmy's enthusiasm. "It's a little hard to believe that kid grows up to be the founder of some world-saving group."

Danny Jr. helped Lexi out by setting up the SquarePants family's time machine. He responded to Lexi, "It almost makes me wonder if my grandpa was like that."

Jimmy looked over SpongeBob III's shoulder as the sponge streams his world saving video, gaining him hundreds of followers. Jimmy became even more excited as he noted, "Phones that are now tiny handheld computers that take photographs, play videos, and help us communicate with dozens of people at once. Why didn't I think of that? I obviously invent interdimensional travel in the future."

SpongeBob III then told him, "Just make sure that when you recruit my future grandpa for your team, you tell him to get better wi-fi."

"You got it, SpongeBob…whatever wi-fi is."

Soon, SpongeTron comes enters the room, holding something behind his back.

Lexi smiles upon seeing him. "SpongeTron, you're back, and you're leg is fixed."

"It sure is, Lexi." SpongeTron positively answered while patting Jimmy on the head. "All thanks to my future commander here."

"Well, you're just in time, SpongeTron." Danny Jr. stated. "I just got the time machine working, so it's all ready to go."

"Great. I just had to get something first before we send Jimmy home. Good thing I remembered where all his old inventions were stored."

Hearing this, Jimmy became excited once again. "I still can't believe I created this place we're standing in. What sort of inventions do I create in the future? Can I see it?"

"Whoa, hold on there, you little genius." SpongeTron urged while keeping said invention behind his back. "We gotta hurry and send you back to your own time period. Can't have you stay longer than you've already have."

His enthusiasm deflated and Jimmy reluctantly agreed, "Yeah, you're right. Just when things were starting to get interesting."

Danny Jr. turns on the time machine and the middle archway creates a glowing portal. "Next stop: the past."

Jimmy turned away and shyly spoke, "There's still so many questions I wanna ask."

"We know, Jimmy." Lexi responded. "But you have to go back; otherwise this future might not even happen."

Jimmy sighs in disappointment, but surprises Lexi by hugging her. "I hope there's someone on my future team who's just like you."

Lexi smiles at the sentiments and returns his embrace. Jimmy then runs over to Danny Jr., who kneels down and holds his shoulders.

Warmly smiling, Danny Jr. tells the boy genius, "You may not be the Nicktoon I was hoping to meet, but I'm still glad to have met you. Take care of yourself, Jimmy."

"Thanks, Danny." Jimmy responded, smiling. "I have a feeling your grandpa and I will be great friends."

SpongeBob III gets close to Jimmy and holds his phone out. "One more goodbye selfie with barracuda lips!" he excitedly urged.

Jimmy and SpongeBob III bare their teeth with huge grins as the latter takes a selfie of them. The sponge texts on his phone, "'Goodbye Jimmy Neutron from the future SYS. #GottaBlast'…and send."

Jimmy then goes over to SpongeTron and says, "Well, thanks for all your help, SpongeTron. I think no matter what I build in the future, you'll definitely be my greatest invention."

SpongeTron laughs in flattery. "Oh, Jimmy, I am so touched."

"Now that I know precisely what my future holds, I'll do whatever it takes to make sure I come to it."

"I know you will, Jimmy…cuz you won't even remember it."

SpongeTron finally reveals what he had been hiding behind his back. It was a device that looks like a laser blaster. He fires it at Jimmy, and it shoots a small laser into his eyes that causes Jimmy to pass out onto the floor. Danny Jr., Lexi, and SpongeBob III react in shock.

"SpongeTron!" Danny Jr. exclaimed in anger.

"What have you done?" Lexi asked in shock.

Twirling the weapon around his finger, SpongeTron calmly answered, "Don't worry, guys. I just erased the last 48 hours from the little commander's memories. Now we can send him back to his own time period and he won't remember anything about us, his future, and everything will go the way it's supposed to."

With a heavy sigh, Lexi agreed, "I guess you're right."

Danny Jr. picks up the sleeping Jimmy as he says, "At least we won't have to worry about messing up the flow of time." He carries Jimmy into the portal, bringing the boy genius back to his own time period. Danny Jr. emerges from the portal a few seconds later after having accomplished the deed.

He shuts off the time machine and goes back to SpongeTron, Lexi, and SpongeBob III. There was an awkward silence between the four until Lexi asks, "Soooo…what do we do now?"

SpongeTron suggested, "Well, since the portal machine is fixed, I guess you can all go back to your own worlds." However, he suddenly started tearing up and he cries, "I know I've been saying I want you guys to leave, but now that I know who you all are, I don't want you to go now."

As he continues to sob hysterically, the three stare oddly at him, still remembering SpongeTron as the surly robot who wanted nothing to do with them.

Danny Jr. then suggested, "Hey, you know what? Even if we all decide to go home, we're Nicktoons now, so we can always come back and continue helping people."

SpongeTron stops crying and perks up when he hears this, "Nicktoons?"

"Nicktoons?!" Lexi asked in anger, "No way!"

"What?!" Danny Jr. asked, confused as to why she would still be averse to being a Nicktoon.

SpongeBob III was even surprised by her response, "#Gasp."

"But I don't understand. We made a great team, we saved Retroville, and now that SpongeTron has his memory back, he can teach us everything we know about being a Nicktoon."

Lexi sighs and explains, "Look, Danny, over the past couple days, I've come to really like and appreciate all that you do, but I'm just not interested in being a Nicktoon. I think what I really wanna do right now is go home and see my family. Now that I know there are other worlds out there, I wanna see them all. But I wanna do it on my own."

SpongeTron pats her on the back with an encouraging smile. "I understand, Lexi. All I want right now is to see my friends. I don't know if I'll go back to being on the police force, but my purpose is to help people and I'll follow it however I want."

"Well, you know what I'm gonna do?" SpongeBob III spoke up as he looked up from his phone and pointed at it. "Now that I know how great the Nicktoons were, I'm gonna create a blog about them. All the Nicktoons throughout history, starting with us- right after I post a tweet announcing it."

Hearing everyone's plans for the future, all of which don't involve being Nicktoons, Danny Jr. seemed heartbroken. However, he immediately perks up and says, "Good luck to you guys. I'll be busy protecting Amity Park as the new Danny Phantom." He then reaches into his belt and hands Lexi something. "And Lexi, I think you'll be needing this a lot more than I will."

Lexi sees that it's the Recaller Danny Jr. had been keeping and will allow her to travel to other dimensions whenever she wanted. Lexi smiles at the gift. "Thank you, Danny." She then leans forward and kisses Danny Jr. on the cheek.

Finally being given a kiss from the girl he had been crushing on since he met her, Danny Jr. blushes and grins with joy.

Once again, SpongeTron cries loudly, but this time with joy. "I'm so glad to finally have friends again." He extends his arms and wraps them around Lexi, Danny Jr., and SpongeBob III, pulling them in a tight hug. "I wish I could've told you all sooner."

Danny Jr. choked out, "I think I'm starting to miss the old SpongeTron."

"I just remembered how much I hate hugging." Lexi added.

"I can't reach my phone." SpongeBob III complained.

When SpongeTron lets go, he turns to Lexi and holds her hands. "I especially wanna thank you, Lexi. If you hadn't come here, we all wouldn't have come together and I would never have gotten my memories back. So…thank you, Lexi."

Lexi smiled sheepishly at the thanks she received from the robot. Then she looked at SpongeTron and clearly stated, "Loud."

Though confused at first, SpongeTron repeated, "THANK YOU, LEXI!"

"No. My name is Lexi Loud."

Happy to finally have Lexi formally introduce herself, the three smile at each other. "Promise you'll visit now that you have your own portal technology?" Danny Jr. asks Lexi.

Lexi slyly smiles and answers, "I'll do my best."

Afterwards, Lexi pushes a button on the Recaller and creates portal, leading to her world. She steps through it and the portal disappears.

Danny Jr. types on the computer and turns on the portal machine. SpongeBob III is once again texting on his phone as he walks towards the portal, but starts to obliviously walk in the wrong direction until SpongeTron extends his arms and turns SpongeBob III around so he can walk right into the portal back to Bikini Bottom.

When it was his turn, Danny Jr. created a portal back to Amity Park. He grabs his toolbox and with an anticipated sigh, he walks into the portal and goes back home.

Once again left alone SpongeTron sadly sighs. He finds a full can of oil on the ground and opens it. With a pause, he turns the can upside-down and dumps all the oil onto the ground before tossing the empty can away.

Now feeling a sense of relief, SpongeTron smiles and sticks out his chest, marching outside, and ready to restart his old life…and eventually start a new one.

**The End**


End file.
